


A Promise of Companionship

by Gyhl



Series: Singing Spies [2]
Category: James Bond (Movies), Kingsman (Movies), Mamma Mia! (Movies)
Genre: Consensual Kink, D/s relationship, Dean was a piece of shit, Harry Hart is Harry Bright fite me, Harry has guilt issues about Eggsy, I'm incapable of writing vanilla sexual relationships, Implied/Referenced Underage Prostitution, Kink Negotiation, M/M, Marriage of Convenience, Multi, Oral Sex, Polyamory, Power Exchange, Slow Burn, Trans Eggsy Unwin, mention of him deadnaming, there's a lot of fluff in here, there's gonna be kink in here
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-05
Updated: 2020-09-10
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:02:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 68,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22125286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gyhl/pseuds/Gyhl
Summary: In the wake of V-Day, Eggsy - who never called in his favor - has been left a single parent to his little sister. With his past keeping him from a job, Eggsy has gone back to sex work. But when that fails to make ends meet, he makes a desperate decision: a marriage of convenience with a total stranger.
Relationships: Harry Hart | Galahad/Gary "Eggsy" Unwin, Harry Hart | Galahad/Merlin, Harry Hart | Galahad/Merlin/Gary "Eggsy" Unwin
Series: Singing Spies [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1516139
Comments: 166
Kudos: 234





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Displays best in creator's style.

“Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.”

Eggsy stepped forward, Daisy in his arms and squirming. She was bored; she was tired; she wanted Mummy. He tossed a rose in the grave, on the casket. He picked up a second and handed it to Daisy. She took it with a curious look at her brother. She didn’t understand what they were doing; she was too young.

“Throw it in, babe,” he whispered against her temple. He was not going to cry, not here, not now. Later, when it was just the two of them, then maybe he’d let himself give in to what he was feeling.

“Why?”

“Cos…” He sighed softly and shook his head a little. Why _did_ they toss flowers in? He didn’t want to tell her ‘because we’re supposed to’ or ‘because I said so’. He wanted to always give her an answer that was more than that. “I think so Mummy can have them in Heaven.”

“Ohhh.”

She still didn’t understand, but she did what Eggsy told her to. She knew Mummy was sleeping and that Eggsy called it ‘dead’, but she was still a year or two shy of _really_ understanding what ‘dead’ meant. She knew her Daddy was ‘dead’, too, but that didn’t make Eggsy sad, _and_ their flat was quieter cos he wasn’t always yelling.

“Wanna go home,” she whined as Eggsy walked back to where they’d been. It was well past her naptime.

“Soon, baby,” he promised. “Real soon.”

There weren’t many others present. His mates and a couple friends of Dean’s that had been friendly with her, too. But they had no family - Dean did, but they’d only come for _his_ funeral - and Michelle had long ago lost contact with any friends she’d had _before_ Dean.

Eggsy stayed where he was as the few people who’d attended left. Most of them put a hand on his shoulder as they passed; a few of them had soft words of comfort. His mates hugged him, tightly, and they hung around after. They were going to spend a couple days looking after him and Daisy.

There was another man in the cemetery; he wasn’t far from the funeral but no one paid him any attention. They assumed he was there to visit one grave or another. But that man was keeping a subtle eye on Eggsy and his sister. He was immaculately dressed, his hair brushed back, and he had an umbrella in hand. It was only after Eggsy’s mates led Eggsy back to a car that he left.

01

“I’m sorry, Mr. Unwin, but we’ve decided to go with another candidate,” the voice on the other end said.

Eggsy bit down the irritated sigh that wanted to come and closed his eyes. He wanted his voice to be steady and not show the anger he was feeling. “Well, thank you for the opportunity.”

He disconnected and tossed his mobile on the couch. He tipped his head against the back of it. It was the same story over and over again. He’d do fine in the interview, but they’d run the background check and his record would come up. Theft, slingin’ drugs, a couple hits for burglary, not to mention the car theft he nearly went away for.

Dean had taken out a decent life insurance policy on Michelle, and it was the _one_ thing Dean ever did (besides, well, die) that Eggsy was grateful for. It meant a roof over his and Daisy’s heads for a couple more months before he’d start getting into arrears with his landlord. That gave him… a little time to try and find _some_ job that’d take someone like him.

And barrin’ that… there _was_ always Smith Street. It wasn’t an idea he was looking forward to, but… sometimes needs must. He knew there were ways of getting more money hookin’. Maybe he could take himself off Smith Street, register with the apps that sex workers used. That… meant bein’ a fuck of a lot more sociable than he felt at the moment.

He looked at Daisy, playin’ on the floor with the toys he’d gotten her a few days ago. Whatever job he ended up with would mean gettin’ a babysitter for her, too. He picked his mobile up and started adding up the costs for just the basics, and _then_ he looked up the general cost for a babysitter: £10 an hour. He let out a weak laugh and tossed the mobile aside again. The kind of jobs he’d be able to get wouldn’t even _pay_ that much.

The only other option would be… well… to not have to pay someone to watch Daisy; to put her up for adoption and just _hope_ she landed somewhere better. The thought of it twisted his stomach into knots. She was all he had left; he _couldn’t_ do that. And that was without even taking the problems in the system into account.

He leaned forward, his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. He could feel the emotions rising in him, and he _hated_ crying. Especially if someone was around, and Daisy counted. He didn’t want her to know how bad things were, ever.

He looked up at her; at her innocently playing and unaware of how easily they could be on the streets. It was nearly a quarter of an hour before he felt calm enough to do what he had to. He picked up his mobile again and started researching what apps were best for this. A couple hours later, he had registered with four apps and had started a social media account for his ‘job’.

He would get through it for Daisy. He would get through _anything_ for her.

02

It had been six months since V-Day, and Eggsy was not hopeful. Getting started with it as a full-time job was a lot harder than he’d expected. The app he’d had the best luck with was the one that catered to niche clients; it gave him clients looking for a transmale hooker. The others he used and the time he spent on Smith Street he went dressed as a woman, complete with falsies and a wig. He fuckin’ hated it. It reminded him too much of Dean; of the stepfather who’d never called him Eggsy, never called him Gary; of the man who’d called him ‘Muggsy’ on a good day and ‘Rose’ the rest of the time.

But the worst part of it was that he was barely makin’ ends meet. He was managing it only by sacrificing for himself. Daisy ate three times a day; he ate once. He’d sold all his jewelry, all his Adidas gear. He’d bought her a bunch of videos as cheaply as he could and that was what they had for telly. And he’d moved them into a smaller flat; a one bedroom. It had come furnished, so he’d sold off everything that had been in their flat. It meant she would be sleeping beside him for a few years. But by then, he thought he’d be making enough to move them back into a two bedroom flat.

Every night he lay awake for hours, his little sister sleeping in his arms, and he wondered. Wondered what was going to happen if one of them took badly ill; what was going to happen if he picked up another Bad Client and this one did more than slap him around a bit; what was going to happen when she outgrew her clothes (she was already getting noticeably bigger) and needed new ones.

For what might have been the hundredth time, he thought about calling in his favor with the military man. But what could he ask for except ‘please take care of Daisy’? It wasn’t like the military man could make his record go away, could get him a steady job, could help him take care of his sweet baby. Not on _one_ favor. And that was even _if_ the man remembered him.

He was laying there, staring at his mobile. It was on silent and on night mode so he wouldn't disturb Daisy. He was scrolling through a sex worker’s forum and he was reading a thread about how to maximise profits early on. Most of it sounded like it came down to luck, and it didn’t help that he lived in a shit neighborhood. He was about two-thirds of the way through the thread when he saw a reply from a spam bot. He rolled his eyes, scanning past it, when something in it caught his attention: it was an advert for a matrimonial website.

He looked them up and read over the information. It was like a matchmaking service without the matchmaker. He laughed to himself and searched for one that wasn’t exclusive to countries outside of the UK. He found one and searched through the listings. There were a lot of posh looking blokes on it. A _lot_ of them. He flipped through to look at the ladies and found a similar thing.

He shrugged to himself and then created an account. He filled in the profile and looked at it after. It showed that he was looking for either; was willing to relocate; no preference on religion; smoking, drinking, and social drug use was fine. He frowned at it, wondering how many people would see that and read ‘desperate’... but then, he _was_ desperate. He added in that he had one child, no pets, and then stared at the ‘about me’ section. What the fuck was he supposed to say? Should he be upfront about bein’ trans? Should he wait until he knew if they clicked? It was another hour before he was more or less satisfied with what he’d entered.

‘ _My name’s Eggsy, and I’ve got a three-year-old daughter. She’s my world and I would do anything for her. I am not looking for love here. I’m looking for a marriage. I think the term’s ‘marriage of convenience’. I need someone who can be the working spouse, who can take care of the money matters cos I’m pretty much unemployable cos of my less than stellar past. I will provide childcare (mine and yours, if you got any), housekeeping, cooking, and cleaning. I figure if we decide to do this, we can negotiate other things (including how often I will be expected to provide sex)._ ’

He sighed at the blurb and then shrugged. It wasn’t gonna be much different from working as a prostitute, really. Just one, single, _permanent_ client. He went into his gallery and started scrolling through the pictures. There was a bunch of his Mum and it _hurt_ to see them, but he found one that he liked. His Mum had taken it. It had just been the three of them that day; Dean had been off with his dogs. He was holding Daisy and she was giggling; he was smiling up at her. He uploaded it and tossed his mobile aside.

He stared up at the ceiling in the darkness. He was basically selling himself. He was going to be some bloke’s servant, their whore, probably their punching bag, too. He’d just… have to figure out a way to keep them from hurting his babe. If he could do that, he could put up with it.

It was a while before he fell asleep.

03

It was a couple weeks before he received a reply that wasn’t a bot or a troll. There was no picture with the profile, and very little information. The man in question had listed himself as bisexual, having no children or pets, and working as a tailor. Eggsy almost dismissed it as another bot account until he read the message.

‘ _Hello Eggsy;_

 _My name is Harry. I found your, and please excuse me for calling it such, advertisement to be interesting. The term is, indeed, a marriage of convenience. It isn’t something many people are seeking in this day and age, but it_ is _the sort of marriage I require._

_I would be more than capable of taking care of you and your daughter financially, and find your offer acceptable. I will ask your loyalty and, in time, trust in return. I hope you find this acceptable._

_I would like to meet with you, somewhere public for your safety and you are not required to bring your daughter. I will understand if you would like to be certain of your safety before introducing us._

_Please let me know what day and time would be best for you._

_Kindest regards,_

_Harry.’_

Eggsy responded immediately and set up a meet with Harry in three days. The only problem was… he had Work Clothes and Not Work Clothes. He didn’t have Nice Clothes anymore, and he certainly didn’t have Marriage Material clothes. He wondered if maybe he _should_ wear Work Clothes. It would… better show off what the bloke’d be paying for and show what he was willing to be for him. But… he didn’t want to go into this, meeting this bloke for the first time, looking the part of a prostitute. Even if this really was just… another sort of prostitution.

The day came and Eggsy settled on a pair of work jeans (tight and nicely showed off his arse) and a looser fitting, long-sleeved top. Most of his Not Work Clothes were looser fitting and more covering. He dressed Daisy up in her nicest dress and put ribbons in her hair. He knew Harry had said he wasn’t required to bring her, but… Harry was going to be taking them both in, taking care of them both. And Harry _had_ made it clear that his safety was important; he wanted to make a showing of trust in return.

He got to the restaurant early, Daisy in his arms and a bag of her things over his shoulder. Among other things, it had extra pull-ups (just in case), some snacks (in case Harry wanted them to go somewhere after), her sippy cup, and some toys in it. He made sure she was taken care of, wherever they were, at all times.

He got them a table near the door so Harry wouldn’t have to search for him. It was the sort of restaurant that would have been a treat when his Mum and Dean were still alive, but probably not the sorta place Harry would frequent. Not if he was rich enough that he could afford to take on a househusband and a daughter.

“What can I get you?”

He looked up at the waitress. “Um, we’re waitin’ on someone, but milk for her and… just a water for me.”

The waitress vanished to go get those and Eggsy started tapping his foot nervously. Every time someone came in, he checked them out. There weren’t too many single men coming in, but he watched each one, trying to figure out if he was meeting with a psychopath or a serial killer. He didn’t _think_ Harry was going to murder him, but… wasn’t like he could be certain.

Another single man came in and Eggsy felt his breath catch. He was older, in his fifties; his early fifties at that. He was wearing a suit that had clearly been tailored to him and glasses. His hair was brushed back, immaculate, and he had an umbrella in hand. And… he was fuckin’ _gorgeous_. 

This was _not_ Harry. Couldn’t be.

He watched the man come toward him, feeling his heart race. He reminded himself that the man _had_ to go by him; he _was_ seated by the door. It didn’t mean a thing. But then… he _stopped_ by the table. Eggsy forced himself to take a breath.

“Eggsy?”

He let out the breath very slowly and stood up. “Harry?”

Harry smiled and nodded once. “Yes. You look quite like your photo.”

 _Holyfuckholyfuckholyfuck_.

Harry _looked_ posh; he _sounded_ posh. There had to be somethin’ _seriously_ wrong with him if he was single. Maybe he was a drunk or abusive or… or somethin’. But Harry couldn’t really be worse than Dean, not s’long as he could keep the abuse aimed at _him_ and not Daisy.

“May I join you?” Harry asked.

Eggsy realized he’d been staring, openly, for half a minute. “Yeah, yeah. Please. I. Yeah.”

He sat back down and Harry took the seat across from him. Eggsy thought he definitely looked out of place, but that he also looked perfectly comfortable. It was as if Harry would be perfectly content to be in a place like this or a five-star restaurant. The waitress came back to take his drink order and he was polite to her. Not… what Eggsy would expect someone like him to be. He expected Harry to treat her like a servant or something.

Fuck, Harry _had_ to be a psychopath.

“Did you want to order your meals?”

“Please,” Harry said with a nod to Eggsy.

He ordered for Daisy and then shook his head. “Nothin’ for me, thanks.”

“Please order something,” Harry prompted softly, gently.

Eggsy eyed him for a moment before nodding. He ordered a cheaper meal for himself - it would be the biggest one he’d had in months - and then waited silently as Harry ordered. “Thanks,” he said when the waitress left. 

Harry smiled. “Eggsy, if I am going to be taking care of you both financially, it only makes sense that I begin now.”

Eggsy felt himself flushing. “Well, you… you might not… I mean…”

“I might not,” he agreed with a nod. “But one could call this a ‘date’, in which case it would be appropriate that I pay.”

“I-I… appreciate that.”

Harry reached into his suit jacket and brought out a tri-folded set of papers. He handed them to Eggsy. “I thought you might want this. I realize you might want to have one done on your own, but a thorough one can be a bit costly.”

Eggsy frowned a little and opened the papers. The top page was a health evaluation, including a blood test. Most of the numbers didn’t mean anything to Eggsy, but the legend showed that they were all in the ideal range and that Harry had no diseases. The next set of pages was an in-depth background check. It showed that he’d been working for Kingsman Tailors since 1985, listed where he’d been educated, and showed no criminal records. Fuck. It was a glowing fuckin’ review.

“Mine… ain’t gonna look nearly this nice,” he said hesitantly.

“Yes, you had mentioned that you are effectively unemployable.” He said it as if he was commenting on the weather, without judgement or recrimination. “Might I ask why?”

Eggsy shrugged. “Theft, couple hits for burglary, couple hits for drug dealin’. And one hit for stealing a car, and totaling it _and_ the police car that had been chasing me.”

“I see.” Again, Harry didn’t show any judgement. “May I ask why you did any of that?”

“Well… the car was… uh… pique? It was one of my stepfather’s boys. He got in my face, so I nicked his car keys, did a bunch of donuts in his face, and took off. Crashed when I avoided a fox and… rammed it into the copper’s car so my mates had time to run.”

Harry’s brow rose slightly. “You weren’t alone in this?”

“No,” he shook his head. “Well, I _was_ the one who nicked his keys. They didn’t need to go down with me. I mean, I’m the one who already had a record. Why fuck _them_ over?”

“You sound loyal,” Harry said appreciatively. “And the rest?”

Eggsy sighed and shrugged. “My… stepfather. I basically… worked for him.”

“I see. Well, may I assume you’ve stopped that activity now that you’re on your own?”

“Yeah,” Eggsy said with a nod. “Stopped the day he died.” He paused. “I never… It wasn’t that I _wanted_ to do all that shit. He… beat on Mum and me less when he was in a good mood, so…” He shrugged.

“So you did it to protect her,” Harry said with a nod. “With your record, I’d like to know what you do presently.”

“I’m… a prostitute,” he muttered, looking away from Harry. He shook his head and looked back at Harry. “Look, I use protection and it’s…”

“It isn’t something you plan on continuing after marriage,” Harry supplied.

Eggsy nodded. “Yeah. That. I’ll have a blood test done, obviously, to put your mind at ease.”

“I _would_ appreciate that.”

Their meals came and Eggsy started cutting Daisy’s up. He noticed that Harry didn’t begin eating, that he waited patiently for him to finish cutting Daisy’s food up. It was… kinda sweet, although he thought it was just Harry showing better manners than he was used to.

He watched Daisy as she picked up a bite and started in on her food. He kissed the top of her head and turned his attention back to Harry. The food smelled fuckin’ _heavenly_ and he made a point of eating slowly. He didn’t… want to make Harry think he was just a mannerless delinquent.

“Do you have questions about me? A gentleman does not, as a rule, make the conversation about himself, but I think it could be necessary for the time being.”

Eggsy just stared at him for a moment. _How_ did Harry say shit like that and not sound like a posh snob? How did it make it sound just so… _casual_ and _normal_? “I… well… Why ain’t you married?”

Harry paused thoughtfully. “I’ve been a career man all my life, and finding someone who… fits what I am looking for has been difficult.”

“Bein’ a tailor’s that time consuming?”

Harry smiled slightly. “It can be, certainly. My job has quite frequently seen me out of the country for weeks at a time. Such _does_ put a damper on dating.”

Eggsy laughed quietly. “Yeah, guess it would. Never thought, you know, bein’ a _tailor_ could do that.”

“Any job has that potential if one is dedicated to it and only it.”

Eggsy smiled a little. So far… Harry seemed alright. He was reserved, polite, well mannered. He… was _not_ the sort of man who married someone like him, but… he also hadn’t left. Eggsy slowly moved the conversation onto things they liked and found Harry was quite adept at maneuvering the conversation so that it was not focused on himself. Eggsy didn’t feel like Harry was trying to hide things or it was just because he was being polite. He felt like… like Harry was interested in him. He made it clear he was listening and he asked questions here and there.

Harry paid when the check came. He walked outside with Eggsy, again with Daisy in his arms and she was quickly falling asleep on his shoulder. “Well, shall we do this again?”

“You _wanna_?”

Harry nodded. “Absolutely. I found your company to be… quite enjoyable, and you certainly seem to fit what I require.”

Eggsy grinned. “Yeah, let’s… let’s do this again. Um… lemme give you my information, that way… you can run a background check on me. I mean…” He shrugged. “Probably should know everythin’ about who you’re buyin’.”

Harry smiled gently and offered his mobile. “This is more of a… business partnership than my purchasing you. I certainly don’t plan on treating you like a possession.”

Eggsy nodded, but he didn’t believe that. Business partners didn’t end up with the right to fuck their partner. But hey, if that’s how Harry wanted to think of it, who was he to judge it? Eggsy put his information in and handed it back.

“Shall I contact you through the website?”

Eggsy shrugged and winked. “You can, or you can call me. I left my number in there, too.”

Harry watched Eggsy walk away before getting into his car and heading back to his end of the city.

04

“ _That went well_.”

Harry smiled slightly. “Did you monitor the entire date?”

Merlin chuckled in his ear. “ _What can I say? I’m possessive._ ”

“You’re… certain you’re alright with this?”

Merlin sighed. “ _Harry… we both owe him more than we can ever repay. For whatever reason, he isn’t calling on you to help him, so… this is the best option._ ”

“That wasn’t my question, my dear.”

“ _I am as alright with this that any man in my position would be. I understand; I agree with your reasons; but I… am not entirely happy about it. It will hardly be the first thing I’ve done that I disliked but knew was right._ ”

Harry’s smile softened. “Thank you.”

Merlin hummed in acknowledgement. “ _Would you like to know what I’ve found about him?_ ”

“Certainly.”

He hadn’t let Merlin tell him ahead of time. He wanted his reactions to be… natural. He’d known about Eggsy stealing the car and nearly ending up in prison. They’d started keeping a closer eye on him after that, and then V-Day had happened and they had been, rather understandably, distracted.

“ _There’s nothing in his criminal records beyond what he mentioned. His mother and stepfather were two of the casualties of V-Day. Eggsy was, apparently, the one to find them. The little girl is his half-sister, not his daughter._ ” 

Harry nodded slightly, aware that Merlin would be able to see the movement. “I’m not certain if that’s better or worse; being a single parent after the V-Day because he lost his mother and not because he lost his partner.”

“ _When are you planning on calling him?_ ”

“Social rules say to not call before two days have gone by, however it is acceptable to text within 24 hours.”

Merlin chuckled. “ _Texting him tonight then?_ ”

“I thought I might.”

“ _Let me know how it goes._ ”

05

**Texts From :** Unknown  
  
**Harry:** I hope you enjoyed yourself this afternoon.  
  


Eggsy’s brow rose as he felt his mobile vibrate. He took it out and grinned at the message. He saved the number but didn’t answer for a bit. It was almost three-quarters of an hour before he was able to.

**Texts From:** Harry  
  
**Eggsy:** yeah completely  
  
**Eggsy:** you?  
  
**Harry:** Absolutely. I apologize if I caught you at a bad time.  
  
**Eggsy:** no not a badd time was just workin  
  
**Eggsy:** m done now tho an home again  
  


He looked between his texts and Harry's, and cringed. They both texted the way they spoke, and being able to see how he sounded against how Harry sounded made him… a little self-conscious. Because _that_ was what Harry was considering hitching himself to.

**Texts From:** Harry  
  
**Harry:** I’m pleased you returned home safely.  
  
**Harry:** I thought you might like to know that I ran your background check earlier this evening.  
  
**Eggsy:** yeah?  
  
**Harry:** Yes. There was nothing unexpected in it; I appreciate your honesty.  
  
**Eggsy:** there wasnt nothin you wasnt expectin?  
  
**Harry:** No? There was your state school education, your lack of an employment history, your criminal record. Was there something I should have expected?  
  
**Eggsy:** so it didn’t give you any other name then gary?  
  
**Harry:** Oh, that. Yes, it showed me that you’d changed your name.  
  
**Eggsy:** u aint upset???  
  
**Harry:** Why would I be, dear boy? Certainly ‘Gary’ fits you far better than ‘Rose’.  
  
**Eggsy:** u  
  
**Eggsy:** i mean  
  
**Eggsy:** its  
  
**Harry:** I am well aware of what it means, Eggsy; you needn’t twist yourself into knots over it. It only bothers me insofar as the rates of violent crimes against transgendered sex workers tends to be higher.  
  


Eggsy stared at the text, reading it a couple times. That was not the reaction he’d been expecting. He’d expected anger, not… this calm understanding and concern for his safety. Again.

**Texts From:** Harry  
  
**Eggsy:** yeah ive been beatn up good by a couple johns  
  
**Harry:** Recently?  
  
**Eggsy:** few months back  
  


When Harry didn't respond for a couple minutes, Eggsy thought he might have said too much or something that somehow offended him. And then he saw the dots showing that Harry was typing, but they were there for quite some time; as if Harry was trying to word what he was about to say in the kindest way.

**Texts From:** Harry  
  
**Harry:** Would you think it out of place of me if I offered to pay your rent for the month?  
  
**Eggsy:** oh shit guv u aint gotta do that  
  
**Harry:** I’m aware of that; there is a difference between having to do something and offering it. If it helps, you could look at it as being not entirely altruistic, as it would give us more time to get to know one another.  
  
**Eggsy:** why are u like this u dont even know me  
  
**Harry:** As I said earlier, you seem loyal and you seem to fit what I’m looking for. You also have definite potential; it simply needs to be brought out.  
  
**Eggsy:** potential for what???  
  
**Harry:** That is something I would like to know.  
  


Eggsy just stared at the message. Because how could Harry say he had potential but he didn’t know what the potential was? It made no fuckin’ sense to him.

**Texts From:** Harry  
  
**Harry:** If it will make you less uncomfortable, I could offer to make up the difference between what you’ve earned and what you need, especially considering that I will be taking up your time.  
  
**Eggsy:** alright we can do that  
  
**Eggsy:** thanks harry  
  
**Harry:** No thanks are necessary, dear boy, although it is appreciated.  
  
**Harry:** I have an early morning. I’m afraid I need to cut this short.  
  
**Eggsy:** no worries  
  
**Eggsy:** night harry  
  
**Harry:** Good night, Eggsy.  
  



	2. Chapter 2

06

A few days - and dozens of texts - later, Eggsy and Daisy arrived at St. James Park in a Kingsman car. Eggsy wasn’t sure if high-end tailors had a car service usually or not, but it seemed a little odd.

Harry was there waiting for them, dressed again in a suit and with an umbrella in hand. Eggsy had to wonder if the man went anywhere without one or if it was another thing that gentlemen were expected to do. Would Harry expect _him_ to start doing that?

“Hi,” he said, Daisy clinging to his legs.

“Hello, Eggsy,” he offered his arm to the younger man. “I thought Miss Daisy might enjoy the playground.”

Eggsy grinned and took his arm, not without a small amount of blushing. He took Daisy’s hand and Harry showed them to the playground. Daisy’s eyes widened at seeing the playground and she barely needed prompting before running off to it.

“She seems pleased with my choice.”

“Was nice of you to think of her like that,” Eggsy said quietly and then grinned. “Did you know this park was supposed to be, like, _the_ place for spies at one point?”

“Perhaps it still is,” Harry said with a slight grin. “They also used to use tailor shops as a front.”

Eggsy chuckled. “You a spy, then?”

“Well, I _am_ a tailor in St. James Park. The evidence would suggest that I am.”

Eggsy grinned up at him. “I like your sense of humor.”

“I admit, not many appreciate it for what it is,” he said with a twinkle in his eye and Merlin grumbling in his ear.

They found a bench where they could watch Daisy playing. Harry sat a handspan away from Eggsy and kept his hands in his lap. Eggsy was… kinda surprised. But after thinking about it for a moment, that… was in character with how Harry had been presenting himself. It was very gentlemanly.

“So… level with me, yeah?”

Harry’s brow rose slightly. “About what?”

“You… are too good to be true. So what is it? Freak in the sheets? Serial killer? I mean, s’long as you ain’t gonna hurt Daisy, I don’t actually give a fuck, but it’d be nice to know.”

Harry smiled slightly. “I am… just about what I present myself to be. I _have_ been mostly level with you.”

“Mostly.”

Harry grinned. “Well, you figured out the spy bit on your own.”

Eggsy laughed. “Only cos you hinted at it.”

“I was merely sharing an interesting fact that went along with the one you shared,” Harry said innocently.

Eggsy laughed again. “Okay, okay, so you’re mostly what you appear to be. You’re a gentleman _and_ a bit of a shit.”

Harry tipped his head slightly in agreement. “I cannot disagree with that.”

Eggsy settled back against the bench, watching Daisy play for a few minutes. “Look, I…”

“You would like this to be settled sooner rather than later.”

He nodded. “Yeah. Business ain’t pickin’ up and… the only reason I’m gonna be able to cover everythin’ this month is you.” He held his mobile out to Harry. “I, um, worked on this last night. It was somethin’ like 2 a.m. at the time. Couldn’t sleep. So if some of it don’t make sense…”

Harry looked at what Eggsy had written up. It was a decently written up marriage contract. Harry had a feeling Eggsy had looked at a few templates and gone from there. He didn’t blame him for it; how many times in one’s life did such a thing come up? There was a breakdown of responsibilities for the contractual Husband and Wife, which was nearly the same as what Eggsy had offered in his advertisement. There was a short list of prohibitions, most of which were aimed at Daisy’s safety. That bothered Harry; Eggsy had made provisions for Daisy’s safety but not his own.

“Might I alter a few things?”

“Yeah, go for it.”

Harry started typing, and Eggsy was surprised at how rapidly the older man typed on a smartphone. He wrote for quite some time before pausing and looking at Eggsy. “Might I assume this blank is for me to fill in?”

Eggsy looked at where Harry was; it was the entry in his duties about how many nights a week he would be expected to provide Harry with sex. “Yep. I mean, I’d like it if it wasn’t seven, but…” he shrugged. “It’s yours to fill in.”

Harry nodded and was shortly typing again. It was a little while before he held the mobile out to Eggsy again. “Tell me if that is acceptable. If it is not, we can go from there.”

Eggsy read it over, planning on just agreeing to whatever it was. He frowned a little as he read. Harry had added _him_ to the entry prohibiting abuse. He looked at Harry shyly, smiling just a little, and then went back to scrolling for what else Harry had written. And then he stopped and _stared_ at the screen, because Harry had expanded _his own duties_. He was requiring himself to provide all necessary medical and dental care for the both of them, he’d listen the amounts Eggsy and Daisy would receive in the event of his death, and he was requiring himself to provide an education for Daisy through an independent school rather than a state school.

“Harry, this…” He shook his head. “You… you _want_ to do all that?”

“It only makes sense, and there is no reason someone connected to me by marriage should attend a state school.”

Eggsy grinned and went back to reading what else Harry had added. He hit a section of how he was to be provided for if the marriage was dissolved, regardless of who was at fault. “That… number right? I mean… seems like there should be one or two less zeros…”

Harry cast a glance at the amount. “No, that’s the amount I intended.”

“Holy shit,” Eggsy whispered.

He read over the acceptable reasons for dissolving the contract and he couldn’t disagree with them; they all made sense to him. And one of them… was if Harry abused him. Harry was giving him a monetary guarantee that he wouldn’t be abused. It made him feel tight in his chest. No matter what happened… he was to be cared for.

He scrolled more, because he was certain now that Harry had filled in all sorts of shit about how he was expected to perform sexually. And he found that he wasn’t ready to just balk at it; for how well he was to be taken care of, he could get through _that_. But he got to the bottom of the document without finding it. He scanned through it again and then laughed softly.

“Um… somehow you… um… removed the lines about sex?”

“I did that with the backspace,” Harry said calmly.

Eggsy _stared_ at him. “So… you’re gonna give us all of this… take care of us like this… not be allowed to beat on either of us… _and_ I don’t have a contractual obligation to sex?”

“Correct.”

Eggsy shook his head. “Definitely a serial killer.”

“One who is not allowed to target you or your daughter,” Harry said with a slight grin.

“Ain’t never grassed no one up,” Eggsy said holding his hands up. “Just don’t bring your hobby home. Cleanin’ up blood’s supposed to be a bitch.”

“Not if you do it while it’s fresh, but I promise to not bring any bodies home with me.”

Eggsy laughed, ducking his head a little. “‘ppreciate it.”

“Now…” Harry eyed him for a moment. “Regarding Miss Daisy?”

“What ‘bout her?”

“Well,” Harry began, “do you want me to adopt her and share custody with you, with the provision - of course - that full custody would revert to you if ever the contract was dissolved?”

Eggsy just stared at him.

“It’s fine, Eggsy. That doesn’t have to happen.”

“No! I… I’m just…” he shook his head. “You really _are_ too good to be true, you know that?” He laughed softly and then grinned. “Yeah, that… that sounds good. It. Yeah.”

Harry smiled softly. “I suppose all that remains is signing.”

Eggsy nodded. “Yeah.”

“Might I suggest… we could sign this whenever you like. As it takes a month for a marriage license, we could use that month as a… say… trial period.

Eggsy considered for a moment. “So that if, say, you decided to start smackin’ me around, I could get out easier?”

“Yes, although I have no intention of… ‘smacking you around’.”

Eggsy’s brow rose slightly. Harry had normally sounded so calm and… well, he hadn’t been openly judgmental about shit. But those last three words. Harry had said them like they tasted bad.

“Alright. When do we want to…?"

"We could sign it today if you like."

Eggsy looked over at where Daisy was playing with a couple other toddlers. If they did it today, she could sleep in a nice house and have a good supper. He could cancel the few clients he had set up and only get fucked by one bloke.

"We'd, um, need to pack…"

"That what movers are for, dear boy, but we can stop in so you can gather what you’ll need for a couple of days."

Eggsy looked at him shyly. "Alright. If. If you wanna."

07

A couple hours and a few stops later found the contract signed, and Eggsy and Daisy at Harry’s home. Harry cooked for them, despite Eggsy’s protests. He knew where everything was and it only made sense to let Eggsy settle in before jumping into his role as househusband. Eggsy cut Daisy’s food up and put it on her favorite Princess Plate, and she had stared, wide-eyed, at Harry’s table and the shiny glasses and plates that he and Eggsy were eating from.

Harry didn’t object when Eggsy insisted on cleaning up after supper. He took the opportunity to get Daisy cleaned up and play a game with her. Eggsy was still working on the dishes when he heard Daisy’s shrieking giggles. He was halfway through the dining room when his brain registered the _giggling_ part of the sound and he slowed. He looked into the lounge to see Harry holding her up in the air. He watched as Harry set her down and she started running and giggling.

“E’sy, E’sy, E’sy!” she shrieked as she ran from Harry.

He gathered her up, tossing her just a little and then holding her close. She giggled and hid against him, peeking out at Harry with a grin. “Not bein’ a bother, are you?”

“Nooo! ‘m a angel!”

“Yeah, you’re my angel, alright.” He kissed her temple. “I’m almost done with ‘em.”

Harry shook his head. “Take your time.”

“You want her then…?”

“Nooo!” Daisy giggled, squirming suddenly.

“No?”

“Harry _tickles_!”

Eggsy grinned. “He tickles, does he? Oh no, and he’s so close.”

She started giggling harder, squirming more and more in his arms in an attempt to get away from the tickles. Eggsy let her drop down and she went running again. Harry caught her up in his arms and she was soon shrieking with laughter again. Eggsy watched them for a moment, feeling an almost painful sort of happiness. Harry was still mostly a stranger to her, and yet this stranger had, in one day, done more to care for her and show her affection than her own father had her entire life.

He went in and finished cleaning up. By the time he was done, Daisy was sprawled on the floor, watching a cartoon with wide eyes. It was one she hadn’t seen before and she was watching it with _rapt_ attention. He walked around her and settled on the sofa beside Harry.

“If you give me your flat key before I leave in the morning, I can send movers over tomorrow afternoon with a cheque for your landlord to buy out your lease.”

Eggsy laughed softly; he hadn’t even brought _that_ up yet. “Thank you. It, um, it came pre-furnished, so none of the furniture’s mine.”

Harry nodded. “You don’t have a crib or a bed for her?”

Eggsy shrugged. “We had a playpen when Mum was alive. Wasn’t room for it in the new flat so she just… slept with me.”

“Then, tomorrow I will make certain to get off of work early and we will get her a toddler bed.”

Eggsy smiled. He wanted to protest, to tell Harry that he was doing plenty. But Harry had made it clear, when they'd worked out the contract, that he and Harry had very different ideas about how he should be taking care of them. And it was for Daisy; she was inherently worth every cent. 

He leaned toward Harry and put a hand on his arm. “Do you… want an after dinner drink or… or _something_?”

Harry gave him a distasteful look. “A _drink_ would be fine; _something_ would not be.”

Eggsy laughed softly. “I meant… like chocolate or a cigar or somethin’. That’s somethin’ you posh types do, innit? Cigars and brandy?”

Pink tinged Harry’s cheeks. “I… apologize. I thought…”

“I get what you thought,” he said and looked pointedly at Daisy for a moment. “I’m a whore, not an arsehole. I don’t blame you for thinkin’ it though.”

“The mistake will not be repeated.”

He smiled. “‘ppreciate it.”

“I don’t smoke. There _is_ a bottle of brandy in the dining room.” He paused and gave Eggsy a little grin. “There is also a bottle of chocolate syrup in the pantry and milk in the refrigerator.”

Eggsy grinned and got up. He went into the dining room, and then the kitchen. He returned a little while later, a glass of brandy in each hand and Daisy’s sippy cup dangling from his fingers. He handed one of the glasses to Harry and set the other on the coffee table. He went over to Daisy and gave her the sippy cup.

She took it and took a drink from it, and then sat up and _stared_ at the cup. “ _Chocolate_?”

“That’s right, baby,” he grinned.

She looked up at him with adoring eyes. Chocolate milk was a Special Treat. “T’ank you!”

“Thank Harry, baby. He’s the one who got the chocolate.”

She grinned at him and blew him a kiss. “T’ank you!”

“You’re very welcome, my dear.”

Eggsy settled back on the sofa with Harry. He sat just close enough to the other man that they were barely touching. Harry read on his mobile while Eggsy went between reading sites on his own and watching Daisy. He felt… maybe not ‘safe’ but ‘secure’. There would always be food on the table and a roof over their heads. If either of them took badly ill, they could go immediately to a doctor. He never had to worry for her again.

08

It was a little after eight when Eggsy gathered Daisy up and took her upstairs to the guest room. He helped her get into her pyjamas; she was asleep on her feet. He got her up in the bed and tucked her in.

“Why we stay here?”

He sat on the side of her bed. “Cos we live here now, baby. Harry… I’m… I’m gonna marry him.”

Her little eyes got wide. “Like Mummy and Daddy?”

He nodded. “Yep. He’s gonna take care of us, so I ain’t gotta work no more. I can stay home with you.”

She smiled sleepily. “Okay.”

“I left your steps by the bed in case you have to potty,” he said as he leaned over to kiss her forehead. “And I’ll leave the door open a bit, so you just call me if you need me.”

“‘kay, E’sy.”

He went back downstairs and stopped at the bottom of the stairs. He looked back up the stairs for a moment, listening for Daisy even though he knew she’d been mostly out when he’d left her. He went into the lounge and eyed Harry for a moment before going over to him and straddling his lap.

Harry’s brow rose. “May I help you?”

Eggsy leaned forward and kissed his neck; he heard Harry’s sharp intake of breath, but the older man didn’t try to push him away. “I think I can help _you_ ,” he said against Harry’s skin.

“You don’t have to do this, Eggsy.”

Eggsy laughed softly, pressing another kiss to his neck. “Didn’t you say there’s a difference between havin’ ta and offerin’? Besides… can’t tell me you don’t wanna get laid on your weddin’ night.”

“In point of fact, it isn’t our wedding night. That isn’t for a month.”

“Mm, I guess that’s true. It’s more our engagement day.”

Harry put his hands on Eggsy’s shoulders and guided him away from his neck. “I appreciate your affections, Eggsy, but…” But all he could think about was Lee; Lee dying for him. And now that man’s only child was expecting to be… _used_ by him.

Eggsy laughed softly. “But you wanna save it for marriage?”

“Yes. That’s… exactly it.” He wanted to tell Eggsy, to come clean about _why_ he’d answered the ad… but this was _not_ the time.

Eggsy grinned. He got that Harry was uncomfortable and he figured it was less wanting to actually save it for marriage and more that he needed to adjust. “Alright. I’m gonna go shower and get into bed then.” He got up and went to the doorway and looked back at him. “Night, Harry.”

“Goodnight, Eggsy.”

He showered and then went into Harry’s bedroom… _their_ bedroom. It was nice; very neat, kinda lush. There was a small table and a chair against one wall. That struck him as odd, since Harry _had_ a home office. Why would he need another space like that in his bedroom? Maybe Harry used the laptop in the bedroom when he wasn’t doing work things, to keep the spaces separate.

He shrugged to himself and went to his chest of drawers. Harry had already had one waiting for him and it matched Harry’s own. There wasn’t much in it, just his pyjamas (bottoms only) and some clothes for tomorrow. It had touched him that Harry’d had it waiting for him.

He got into the pyjama bottoms and tossed his clothes and towel into the hamper. He grinned at it. He wasn’t sure how Harry felt about using a towel more than once, but he’d _always_ had to. It saved on wash loads. For him, it was one of the things about being poor that he… really never wanted to do again. He knew he _would_ ; it was too ingrained in him to _not_. But for right now? Yeah, tossing that only-used-once towel in the hamper felt fuckin’ _good_.

He got into the bed and sighed with pleasure. Fuck, it was _comfortable_. He thought it must be somethin’ like memory foam. He rolled around a little, just trying to find an uncomfortable position; he couldn’t. He splayed out loving the feel of the sheets against his skin. They were cotton, but they almost felt silky.

He got himself onto one side of the bed and nestled in the blankets and sheets. He was on his stomach, arms under his pillows and one leg pulled up a bit. It was a Safe position. It would let him be on his feet at a moment’s notice. It would let him run if he needed to. And it protected the softer parts of his body. It was a way he’d learned to sleep from years of living with Dean. He smiled a little to himself as he felt himself starting to fall asleep. With Harry, if he really was as good as his word, he wouldn’t _have_ to sleep like that. He could learn to sleep… well… on his _back_ if he wanted to. Maybe he’d try it sometime.

09

He woke up to _warmth_ ; warmth against his body. He shifted a little. The warmth was covered in that same silky cotton of the sheets. He put his arm over it and found his hand on an arm. A very nicely muscled arm. It took his still half-asleep brain a moment to register that he was up against _Harry_ and not Daisy. He thought about moving away and figuring out if he’d pressed himself against Harry or if Harry and rolled to his side of the bed during the night.

Instead, he sighed softly, settling against Harry and letting himself doze again. Had he _ever_ woken up in such comfort? With another body against his that wasn’t likely to hurt him? He wasn’t really one for a lie-in - there either was never time or there had been Dean - but right now, he wanted to enjoy this.

It was a bit - with how he’d been dozing, he wasn’t sure _how_ long - before he felt a hand cover his own. His eyes opened at that; at the simple touch from the man he was going to marry. He expected Harry to tell him to move, or to express some discomfort at the position they’d woken to.

“I need to get up,” Harry said softly.

Eggsy watched as he got out of bed. Harry’s pyjamas were a soft shade of blue and he had a feeling Harry could wear them outside and not get odd looks. At least, in the neighborhood he’d lived in before this. A posh neighborhood like this’d recognize them as pyjamas in a flash. It made him grin a little.

“You been awake long?”

Harry offered him a slight shrug. He’d woken when he’d felt Eggsy’s hand on his arm. It had taken him a moment to realize that the body against him was not Merlin’s. He’d lain there, just learning the sensation of the young man against him.

“Long enough I suppose.”

“If it bothered you…”

Harry shook his head. “No, it wasn’t a bother. I would have told you if it had been.”

He waited until Harry had gone into the bathroom before getting up. He made the bed, dressed, and went downstairs. He started on breakfast and just had it ready as Harry came downstairs. He grinned to himself, pleased that he managed to time it so well.

Harry went into the dining room and took a seat. He smiled lightly as Eggsy set out his breakfast - eggs, toast, and tea - and then frowned a little when he saw that Eggsy hadn’t made anything for himself. 

“You _are_ planning on eating, I hope.”

He grinned. “Yeah, I’m gonna eat. I’m just gonna wait until Daise gets up.”

Harry nodded and started on his breakfast. “It’s good. Thank you.” He paused. “When does she normally get up?”

“Oh, ‘bout an hour or so.”

“If you’d like… I could change my hours, start going in a bit later. Then… the three of us could have breakfast together.”

“Your boss won’t mind?”

Harry laughed softly. “The benefit of being the head of Kingsman is that I may go in a little later if I please.”

Eggsy’s eyes widened slightly. “Didn’t realize you ran the place.”

“My predecessor was one of the unfortunate victims of V-Day.”

“Oh. Sorry.”

Harry shook his head. “Don’t be. He was one of the ones who died as a result of being allied with Valentine.”

“Shit.”

“Yes.”

Eggsy watched him for a moment. Valentine had recruited even within Harry’s circle, and yet Harry hadn’t joined him. “So I guess he was a spy, too.”

“Chester?” Harry nodded. “Oh yes, that’s why Valentine recruited him.”

Eggsy laughed. He really _did_ like Harry’s sense of humor. He took a key out of his pocket and set it on the table. “That’s the key to the flat.”

Harry took it with a nod. “Thank you. The movers _should_ have everything here around noon.”

“That early?”

“Well, none of the furniture is yours, correct? That will save quite some time.”

Eggsy smiled and shook his head. Harry wasn’t just providing for him; Harry was seeing to it that he had things almost immediately. He couldn’t really remember feeling so… cared for like this. He knew he _had_ been, back when his dad had been alive. But even then, he didn’t think he’d been so… well, spoiled.

10

It was quarter after twelve when the movers arrived. Eggsy had them put the boxes in the entryway, splitting them up by clothes, housewares, and Daisy's things. He went through her clothes first, eyeballing them and sorting them into two categories: fine and almost too small. He left the boxes by the stairs and started going through his own clothing.

He tossed all of his Work Clothing in a pile. He wanted to get rid of it all, but he stared at it after. Harry might want him to keep some. He sighed and sorted through them, dropping the ones he would not wear again in a box and folding the ones he’d be alright with and leaving them on the coffee table. His Not Work Clothing wouldn't even get him through a week, but once Harry added in whatever of his Work Clothing he was keeping, he'd have enough.

Harry had told him that he sends the wash out on Tuesdays and that it was back on Thursdays. He'd make do if he needed to. Harry had already done so much for him that he didn't feel comfortable asking for clothes right away; maybe in a couple months. He took the clothes he knew he was keeping upstairs and put them away.

And then he started on the rest of the boxes. His parent's wedding china was in one; it had been in its own box, neatly wrapped in old newspapers. Dean had gotten rid of most of his dad's things; Eggsy had known the china was important and had stolen it before Dean could get rid of it. Now it was in one of Harry's cabinets, stacked on top of another set of fancy dishes. It made him feel good to know he had a place for it where it could be properly special. 

As he looked through the boxes, he wondered if he shouldn't just donate it all. His stuff was all used looking; Harry's wasn't. Harry wouldn't want shit looking stuff all over his house. He got out some things - Daisy's movies, the few books he had, his mum's decorations - and put them around the house. Most of them went in the lounge. Then he got out the picture of his dad. 

He wanted to put it in the lounge. He didn't want it to be forced back into his bedroom, and there was no reason for it to be in Daisy's bedroom. But… would Harry object? It wasn't like it was a picture of Another Man; it was his dad. He looked around the lounge and settled on setting it on top of the bookshelf. After a moment, he took his dad's medal off and hung it from the corner of the frame. If Harry wasn't alright with it… well, the picture could go in his chest of drawers and he'd go back to wearing the medal all the time. 

It was quarter to four when Harry got home. He saw the boxes by the door and the two boxes of Daisy’s clothing. He shrugged to himself, assuming Eggsy simply hadn’t unpacked much, and went into the lounge. Daisy was curled up in Eggsy’s lap, watching a cartoon; she looked sleepy. He eyed the clothing on the coffee table and then looked at Eggsy.

“Does she need a nap?”

Eggsy shook his head. “She just woke up.”

He nodded and stepped into the room. “And… the clothes…?”

“They’re Work Clothes. The ones I’m willin’ to wear for you.” He shrugged. “I figure… you can pick the ones you like outta them.”

“Do _you_ like them?”

“I told you I’m willin’ to wear ‘em for you.”

Harry smiled gently. “That is hardly the same thing, Eggsy. Do _you_ like them?”

Eggsy looked away from him and shrugged.

“I’ll take that as a ‘no’, then.” He gathered up the pile. “Where are the others?”

“In one of the boxes by the door.”

Harry nodded and went out. He looked for the box marked clothes and put them in with Eggsy’s _other_ Work Clothes. He looked over the other boxes, looking at the labels, and then went back to Eggsy.

“There’s no reason for you to wear things _just_ to please me,” Harry said. “And if you’re ready, we can go and get Daisy her new bed.”

Eggsy smiled softly. Harry was, again, rebuking his offers of sexual things. And this wasn’t just a ‘give me time to adjust’; this was Harry outright telling him he didn’t need to do it. Eggsy was not unaware that Harry had also changed the subject immediately and prevented him from protesting that he didn’t mind.

“Yeah, we’re ready.”

11

Harry took them to a high-end shopping center. Eggsy carried Daisy and just followed Harry around. He assumed Harry would be picking the bed; Harry _was_ buying it, after all. But once they were in the area with the children’s bedroom furniture sets, Harry stopped and turned to them.

“Do you see any you like?”

Eggsy looked away shyly. “You… don’t wanna pick?”

“Well,” Harry began, “I will _hardly_ be the one sleeping in it and I don’t think I know Daisy’s likes and dislikes well enough to make the choice for her.”

Eggsy grinned and started walking around, looking at the different sets. Some of them were so _nice_ looking. He’d found one he’d thought Daisy would like and was heading toward it, but then she squealed and started squirming in his arms. He set her down and she ran straight to a bedroom set. She climbed up onto the bed and flopped back.

“Daisy’s bed!”

The bed was a soft shade of yellow; one so pale that it almost looked white. There was a princess crown in the center of the headboard. It had railings along the upper half to keep her from falling out of bed. The set also had a child-sized chest of drawers with crowns on the knobs, a toybox, and a play table with two chairs.

Eggsy looked at Harry and shrugged. “Think she found one she liked.”

Harry put a hand on his shoulder. “Let’s get her the entire set, then.”

Eggsy shook his head. “I know how much a _cheap_ set costs, Harry.”

“And?”

“And it’s… gonna be like five times that here.”

Harry nodded. “Yes, I know that, but she’s only going to be a little girl once.”

Eggsy flushed. “If you wanna… then yeah. I’d… really like that.”

“Why don’t you two go pick out four bedding sets for her?” Harry pat his shoulder and then went to find a salesperson before Eggsy could protest.

Eggsy watched him leave and then shook his head. _Four_ bedding sets. She only _needed_ two; surely Harry had to realize that. He smiled, watching Harry walk away. It seemed like Harry was intent on spoiling them, at least for now.

“C’mon, babe. Let’s go find you some bedding.”

It didn’t take them long to find four sets and a pillow she liked. She had, of course, wanted a princess set. She’s also found a set with flowers on them, a superhero set, and a set with cartoon dinosaurs. They went back to the bedroom set, Eggsy carrying the sets by their handles and Daisy with her new pillow in her arms. 

"A very nice selection, my dear."

She held the pillow up to Harry. "Can have?"

"Of course you may." He looked over at Eggsy. “Let me take those.”

Eggsy let him take two of them. He shook his head when Harry reached for the others and Harry nodded once, backing down without a word. He wondered if he was going to pay for that later and how badly, but he wanted to start… not so much making boundaries as much as testing them. 

Harry paid for the bedding sets and they left the store, but they didn’t leave the shopping center. Instead Harry took them to a clothing store that catered exclusively to children’s wear. “We have about two hours before the car will return; I thought we could get some clothes.”

Eggsy shook his head. “Why is the car gone?”

“Well, the furniture is being delivered and set up. Someone needed to be at the house for it and I asked Dave if he would mind,” Harry said with a slight grin. “He _does_ have a key in case of emergency.”

“We… coulda just gone home…”

“Yes,” Harry said, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. “But then I hardly would have had an excuse.”

They went through the store, Harry following behind Eggsy. He watched as Eggsy would look at something, smile a little, and then check the price tag. After he moved on, Harry would take that item without a word. He had a rather decent armload by the time Eggsy turned around.

“Could we ge-” He stared at Harry for a moment, and then ducked his head, grinning. “I guess… that’s a ‘yes, we can get it’.”

“Absolutely.”

Eggsy led them over to underwear and got her a bunch of cute and frilly socks. He found a pack with super heroes in the boy’s section and grabbed those, as well. And then he went over to the little girl’s panties. He picked up enough packs to give her three week’s worth; they were a mix of solid colors, flower prints, and he found a pack of brightly colored ones with both unicorns and dinosaurs on them.

“Moving her on from pullups?”

Eggsy nodded. That was the exact reason _why_ he’d gotten so many. “She ain’t had an accident in a week. I think she’s ready.”

“You do know that children often have accidents when they’ve moved to a new home, and I do mean even children as old as twelve.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard that,” Eggsy said with a shrug. He looked down at Daisy. “Whatchu think, babe? You ready to be a big girl?”

“Yes!”

Eggsy grinned at Harry. “And anyways, if she _does_ have one, I can clean it up. Won’t be the first time I’ve cleaned up after her.” He winked. “You ain’t gotta worry about stains.”

“That was hardly my concern.”

“It wasn’t…?”

“No. I was more concerned that she might have a setback due to it; that she might have a loss of confidence.” He shrugged one shoulder. “But then, I’ve never raised a child or thought that I might.”

Eggsy started moving toward the registers. “Don’t like ‘em…? I mean, you get on with her just fine, but…”

“I don’t dislike them. It was work related.” He paused for a moment. “If I’m honest, I would have loved a daughter to spoil endlessly.”

“Kinda got one now, yeah?”

“Quite so, as long as you’re alright with it.”

Eggsy laughed softly. “I ain’t gonna tell you not to spoil her. My baby’s worth every cent you wanna spend.”

12

“So where to now?” Eggsy asked, a bag over one arm and Daisy in the other.

“Oh, just this little shop I thought you might like.”

Eggsy grinned a little. He walked along beside Harry, looking at him every so often. The adoration was clear in his eyes, even if he didn’t think this could be really real. No one was really like this and he knew, at some point, Harry would tell him what he wanted in return. With all Harry had done in the last 24 hours, Eggsy thought it would be more than worth it.

“Right in here.”

Eggsy looked at the name of the store; Harry had brought them to a menswear store. He shook his head and was about to protest when he shrugged and grinned. “Alright. How much you want me to get?”

Harry smiled, clearly pleased that Eggsy didn’t protest. “No less than eight outfits, if you please.”

Eggsy snorted a laugh and shook his head with a grin. “No less, huh? Alright.”

Harry took the bag and Daisy from him and let Eggsy wander around on his own. He took Daisy over to the seats by the changing area and dug out her toys from her bag. She was soon nicely distracted and he watched as she played. It wasn't long before Eggsy came over to them, carrying mostly jeans and polo shirts. 

Harry eyed the clothes for a moment. He wondered just how much attention Eggsy had paid to the price tags. "That's what you really want?"

Eggsy nodded. "Yeah."

"There isn't something in the store that you would want if the cost didn't matter?" Harry saw the hesitance in Eggsy's eyes and laughed softly. "Go and get two of whatever it is."

"Harry, they-"

"Two of them," Harry repeated. 

Eggsy set the clothes down on a seat and left. He was gone for nearly twenty minutes. He came back with a pair of jackets. One of them was dark blue with orange lining and bands on the wrists, waist, and neck; the other was black with gold signs all over it. Daisy lit up at seeing it.

“E’sy fav’ite!”

Eggsy grinned. “Yeah, my favorite.”

“It’s mildly obnoxious,” Harry said, not without a touch of approval.

Eggsy’s grin widened a bit. “Yeah, a bit.”

“Go start checking out. I’ll gather up the little Miss and her toys.”

Eggsy went up to checkout. A few moments later, Harry was behind him, the bags and Daisy on one arm. Eggsy took Daisy and her bag of stuff from him so he could pay. Eggsy took a glance at the total and then looked at Harry, fully expecting to be told to put the jackets back. But Harry didn’t even wince at the total and just handed his card over.

Harry gathered up almost all of the bags from their shopping excursion, leaving just a couple for Eggsy to carry. Eggsy walked along with him. Daisy was getting bored of all the walking around and having little to do, and Eggsy had to shush her a couple times.

“She’s hungry,” Eggsy said. “I know the whine.”

“There’s a lovely café just a couple of minutes from here.”

Eggsy chuckled. “Ain’t spoiled us enough today?”

Harry smiled at him, that mischievous twinkle back in his eyes. “It simply thought that it would be more expedient.”

Eggsy grinned and shook his head. “Well, I guess since she’s hungry, we _should_ go with the quicker option.”

The car met them at the curb and the driver put the bags in the boot. Eggsy found himself staring at Harry as they drove toward the café. He knew this wouldn’t be an everyday thing, but this was still more than he’d spent on clothing in a year, in _any_ year. Hell, he’d never even paid _retail_ for his jackets. It would _definitely_ be worth it when the bill came due.


	3. Chapter 3

13

Daisy was almost asleep when they got home. Eggsy wasn’t surprised; he hadn’t expected them to be out for over four hours. Apparently that happened when you were buying two wardrobes and a furniture set.

Eggsy got Daisy a bath and into her pyjamas. Harry, without any prompting, went and made up Daisy’s bed. Eggsy gave him a grateful smile when he saw the bed. He put Daisy in the bed, in her princess sheets and blankets, and tucked her in.

“Sleep well, babe,” he said as he kissed her forehead.

“Nigh’, E’sy.”

He go up and went to the door. Harry stepped aside to let Eggsy go out first.

“Wan’ a kiss!”

Eggsy chuckled. “Another one?”

“No! Harry!”

Both men looked surprised, and then Harry smiled slowly. He looked at Eggsy, silently asking permission. Eggsy nodded once and Harry went over to the bed. He leaned over and placed a soft and gentle kiss on the little girl’s forehead.

“Good night, Daisy.”

“Nigh'.”

They left the room and Eggsy pulled the door most of the way shut. He knew she was probably already asleep with how tired she’d been. They were almost to their own bedroom door when Eggsy put a hand on Harry’s arm. Harry turned to look at Eggsy, and found himself pushed up against the wall with Eggsy leaning against him.

“What’s this?” Harry asked, his voice carefully neutral.

He pushed up from Harry and started pulling at Harry’s tie, carefully undoing the knot. “Me, thanking you.”

Harry put his hands on Eggsy’s arms and gently pushed him away. “You don’t need to do this.”

Eggsy chuckled, low and soft. “Harry… a bloke buys you dinner, he’s at _least_ expectin’ a blow job. You did a fuck of a lot more than that.”

“A gentleman does not expect sexual favors in return.”

“I’m happy to do it. Really.” He smiled lasciviously. “Do you want me to be dirty? Someone you ain’t gotta be a gentleman with? Be your little whore? A slut who begs for it?”

Harry’s hands tightened a bit on his arms and Eggsy’s eyes widened. He knew he’d crossed a line, and his mouth went dry as he wondered how badly he was gonna be beaten for it. It rose in him to ask Harry not to do it in the hall, not where Daisy could hear, but Harry spoke before he could. 

"I don't ever want to hear that from you, Eggsy. You are _neither_ of those things, even if you were a sex worker. You are _not_ a slut, _not_ a whore, and I will _not_ see you treated as such."

Eggsy said nothing for a moment as he waited for Harry to hit him. But he didn't. He didn't even tighten his grip to a point that it was painful. It dawned on him that Harry wasn’t angry at _him_ ; Harry was angry _for_ him.

"That's… probably the nicest thing anyone's said to me since I was fifteen."

Harry frowned slightly. "Someone was calling you one of those when you were that young?"

"Well, yeah, I mean… Dean already had me out on Smith Street."

It was Eggsy's turn to frown; he would have sworn he'd seen guilt in Harry's eyes, just for a moment. But it was gone as soon as he noticed it and he dismissed it as a trick of the light. Because what reason would Harry have to feel guilty about it?

“Since you were fifteen…”

Eggsy heard _something_ in his voice; something almost painful. Harry was looking past him, and then Harry’s hands were slipping along his arms. They came to rest on his shoulder blades and Eggsy’s eyes widened again, but this time it was from surprise and not fright. Harry was… basically holding him. It was only a moment before Harry let go of him and muttered an apology, but… Harry had still done that.

“Do you want a drink, Harry? Talk about this?”

Harry gave him a carefully neutral look. Any signs of pain or guilt were gone, hidden behind a mask. He knew they needed to talk about it, about why he’d taken the two of them in. And it was a talk they needed to have sooner rather than later. But was it a good idea to have that talk _now_?

“A drink, yes, but… let’s talk about this another night.”

Eggsy’s brow rose and he moved back from Harry. He had a feeling ‘another night’ meant ‘a night you don’t feel indebted to me’. “Yeah, sure. Brandy?”

Harry shook his head. “Have you ever had a martini?”

“No…”

“Something _every_ gentleman should know is how to make a proper martini.”

“Gonna make me into a gentleman, huh? Teach me how to talk all proper an’ shit?”

Harry motioned to his office and followed Eggsy inside. He closed the door most of the way, leaving it open enough that they’d hear Daisy if she needed one of them.

“Being a gentleman has nothing to do with one’s accent,” he said as started getting what they’d need out of the dry bar.

Harry showed him how to make a martini and then returned to explaining to Eggsy what it meant to be a gentleman. Eggsy was the good student, listening to Harry’s explanations and asking questions where he needed to. They were three martinis in when they’d realized how late it had gotten. Eggsy went and collapsed into their bed, planning on just showering in the morning. He was already out when Harry joined him.

It wouldn’t be until the next afternoon when Eggsy would realize why he hadn’t noticed Harry come to bed. Harry had gone through his boxes and unpacked a lot of things. There were little signs of him all around the house now. The only things Harry _hadn’t_ unpacked were the housewares that he already had plenty of. Even his blu-ray player was gone. _That_ he found in their bedroom, and Harry brought home a television for their room that night.

Fucking Hell, but Harry was spoiling him.

14

mates  
  
Jamal  
you lads seen eggsy? went by his flat an its empty  
Ryan  
tf u mean empty  
Jamal  
I mean it’s fkn empty  
Eggsy: 🍻  
Jamal  
wtf bruv?!  
Eggsy: yeah so i moved  
Liam  
WHY did you move???  
Eggsy: Cos 💍  
Brandon  
????  
Liam  
THE FUCK?!  
Ryan  
when tf did THAT happen  
Eggsy:um like four days ago  
Jamal  
how long you been dating?!  
Eggsy:uh like I guess 10 days  
Brandon  
Youd been dating a week when you moved in? Bruv that is the most lesbian thing ive ever read  
Eggsy: 🖕  
Jamal  
he aint wrong  
Eggsy: k look i was in more trouble then i let on  
Eggsy: me an dais were gonna b on the streets  
Liam  
Fucking shit Eggsy you coulda just told us  
Eggsy: yeah? wasnt nuthin u coulda done abt it  
Eggsy: was lookin at a site an saw a bot message abt a matrimonal site  
Eggsy: made an account  
Eggsy: offered mself as a househusband  
Eggsy: found a bloke who was interested  
Jamal  
eggsy ffs  
Eggsy: 🤷  
Brandon  
You okay tho?  
Eggsy: yeah fine  
Eggsy: treats us both like gold  
Liam  
You tell us if he starts gettin like Dean  
Eggsy: lol dont think i gotta worry  
Eggsy: u lot outta take nex sat off  
Eggsy: well go to a pub fri night an you cn meet him sat  
Liam  
already got my sched  
Liam  
I’ma have to be magically sick on sat  
Eggsy: no worries mate  
Eggsy: u aint gonna run into no one from work  


15

The next afternoon found the three of them at Kingsman. Daisy was running around the shop, touching everything and petting the fabrics she could reach. A bald man wearing a jumper was keeping an eye on her for them. Eggsy was following Harry around as he explained about bespoke suits and the different types of fabrics.

“‘m I gonna even need it beyond… you know.”

Harry chuckled softly. “Beyond getting married?”

“Yeah, that.” He shrugged. “Wasn’t sure how… out… you was at work.”

“I’ve never bothered hiding it,” Harry said simply. “And yes, it is entirely likely you will be accompanying me to events where you will need a suit. This is why I’m having three made for you.”

“Three? The fu-” He bit down on the curse. He was in Harry’s workplace; he should show better manners. “What do I need three for?”

“One for more casual events; one for semi-formal events; one for formal events.”

“Oh.”

He flushed; he’d just assumed that one suit would be fine for everything. He was probably making himself look stupid, and Harry by extension. But Harry just explained the differences between the three suits without irritation or any sign of embarrassment.

“Now, if you’ll go with Andrew, he’ll take your measurements.”

Eggsy went into the first fitting room with the older tailor. He let the man take his measurements, moving as he was instructed. It was kinda cool and a lot quicker than he’d expected it to be. They left the fitting room and Eggsy saw Harry and the bald man talking. Harry’s back was to him, but he could see the way the other man was looking at Harry. There was something sad and painful in his eyes; it wasn't hard for Eggsy to figure out that he was in love with Harry. 

So why had Harry answered his ad? He had no doubt that Harry could maintain a professional relationship with the man while in the store. _And_ he would understand why Harry was gone for periods of time. 

Eggsy went over to them. The bald man noticed and the look vanished from his face so quickly that it might never have been there.

"Hi," Eggsy said, extending a hand. "'m Eggsy.

The bald man shook his hand. "Hamish."

"Ain't interruptin', am I?"

"Not at all," Harry said. "There was a problem with some fabrics I ordered. It’s caused a bit of a problem with the back of the house. Nothing they can't handle, of course."

"Course," Eggsy agreed.

He doubted they'd been taking fabric. He didn't actually blame Harry. Hamish was fuckin' fit. But it did make him a little uneasy. Cos what if Harry decided to dissolve their contract? Sure, he’d be set, but… but… fuck. He’d been _enjoying_ living with Harry; so had Daisy.

16

They left shortly after and went back to the house. Eggsy put Daisy down for her nap and then went back down to the lounge. Harry was standing in front of the bookcase, looking up at the picture of Lee. It was something Eggsy had caught Harry doing once before.

“Want a drink?”

“Before five?” Harry asked, doing his best to sound scandalized.

Eggsy chuckled and went to sit on the sofa. “Come sit with me, yeah?”

Harry went over to him and sat beside him. “Is something wrong?”

“You know Hamish loves you, don’t you?” Eggsy saw the fleeting surprise and guilt in Harry’s eyes. “And you love him. I hadn’t been sure before; hadn’t seen your face. So why ain’t you with him?”

“We broke up.”

Eggsy crossed his arms and sat back against the sofa. “Yeah? I ain’t rebound guy, am I? Cos that’s a bad person to marry.”

Harry laughed softly. “Are you concerned about that?”

He shrugged. “Yeah. Kinda.”

“I _am_ going to marry you, Eggsy.”

“You gonna be happy with that? With me?”

Harry nodded. “Yes, I will be.”

Eggsy was quiet for a bit, just watching Harry. “Look, um… in things like this… you know, marriages of convenience, it ain’t odd for them to each have a side piece.” He shrugged. “I mean, I’d kinda like to get to know him if you’re gonna be fuckin’ him.”

“That is called ‘adultery’, my dear.”

Eggsy shivered pleasantly at being called ‘my dear’. “Not if I know about it an’ I’m okay with it.” He watched Harry for a moment. “Is he why you won’t…?”

Harry shook his head. “No, that has nothing to do with him.”

“I want us to both be happy, Harry. I dunno why you decided _I_ was the one you wanted to marry, but… ain’t no reason for you to spend your life wanting one thing that you can’t have.” He put a hand on Harry’s arm. “I figure, he an’ I can get to know each other and then we can, like, set ground rules an’ shit.”

Harry watched him for a long, quiet moment. “You would… actually be fine with that?”

Eggsy nodded. “Yeah? Ain’t nothin’ wrong with bein’ poly.”

“Well, you have certainly given me something to think on. I will… discuss it with Hamish and we can go from there.” Harry covered Eggsy’s hand with his own. “Just know that, whatever we decide, I _will_ keep my word to you.”

17

Friday night came and Eggsy had on his black and gold, ‘mildly obnoxious’ jacket. Harry had since bought him a white cap and white trainers to go with it. He came down the stairs and grinned at Harry.

“It looks good on you.”

He laughed. “What? The jacket?”

Harry tipped his head to the side in a half-nod. “That wasn’t what I meant, but yes.”

“What’d you mean then?”

“You’re standing taller, you look more confident.” He reached out to brush his fingers across Eggsy’s cheek, and then thought better of it and lowered his hand. “You look happy.”

“I _am_ happy.” He put his arms around Harry’s neck before the older man could object. “Thank you, for tonight I mean. You don’t… have to let me go see my friends, and you didn’t have to get me a car for the night.”

Harry was torn between pushing Eggsy away and putting his hands on him. After a moment, he put his hands on Eggsy’s waist, the way he might if he were dancing with a partner. It had been a bit over two weeks - seventeen days to be exact - since they’d met the first time, but he could not deny that there was a definite attraction growing between them. He supposed that was a good thing to exist between two people who were going to be married, but… it was not part of the plan. 

"I would hardly deny you your friends, or going out as you like."

"Yeah, but you didn't haveta get us the car. We coulda taken a cab or gotten an Uber or somethin’."

Harry chuckled. “Yes, you could have, however there is little reason for that when we _have_ a car service.”

Eggsy's smile slowly turned into a grin. "Give us a kiss 'fore I go?"

Harry slowly sighed a breath. He tilted his head down, his dark eyes meeting Eggsy’s green ones. He felt a ripple of desire run through him, followed rapidly by guilt. Was he taking advantage of the young man? Was Eggsy asking for a kiss because he thought it was expected?

Eggsy pushed up enough for his lips to meet Harry’s own. It was chaste enough, but certainly more than just friendly. He searched Harry’s face after; he could see the conflicting emotions on his future husband’s face.

“Was that alright?”

Harry nodded. “Yes, that was… fine.”

Eggsy smiled slowly. “Don’t look so guilty then. Ain’t like you’re forcin’ me into nothin’.” He let go of Harry and stepped back from him. “We’ll be back ‘round two or three.”

“I’ll have pillows and blankets downstairs for everyone.”

“‘ppreciate it.” He paused. “Leave some for me, too, yeah?”

Harry’s brow rose. “If you’d like.”

He chuckled. “I’m gonna be pissed, Harry. I’ll just end up wakin’ you up.”

“Likely, yes.”

Eggsy’s mobile buzzed and he looked at it. “Car’s here.”

“Enjoy yourself.”

He winked. “Plannin’ on it.”

18

Dave let him into the car and Eggsy gave him the address. He was a bit nervous and a bit excited as they drove to Jamal and Liam’s flat. He got out and ran up the stairs to the flat; he’d barely knocked when the door opened. He grinned at them and quickly found himself being pulled into hugs.

“Thought you got ridda that,” Jamal said.

He shrugged. “Harry bought me a new one.”

“What’d you have to do for _that_?”

He shook his head. “Nothin’, not so far anyways.” He jerked his thumb toward the door. “Car’s waitin’.”

They went down to where the car was waiting and Eggsy heard a low whistle from behind him. He grinned and shrugged. It wasn’t the standard model Harry had them normally chauffeured around in. That one had a bar in the back; this one had a second set of seats instead. They piled into the back and Ryan grinned at him.

“Jeeves ain’t takin’ us to the Black Prince, is he? Car like this…”

“Dave,” Eggsy corrected quietly. “And no, he’s… takin’ us to a place Harry recommended. It ain’t far from his… _our_ place.”

Liam snickered at him. “Still gettin’ used to that?”

Eggsy nodded. “Still gettin’ used to a _lot_.”

They didn’t ask him much on the drive; they kept the subjects to things about their lives and what Eggsy had missed in the last two weeks. It hadn’t been much, but it was enough to keep them occupied until they got to the pub. They tried to not look surprised and out of place. It was a lot classier than the places they were used to. They got a table and looked at the menu. Brandon blew out a breath at the sight of it.

“Fuck, man. _Lobster nachos_?”

Eggsy grinned and shrugged one shoulder. “Harry says they ain’t bad, actually.”

“Yeah, just fuckin’ twenty-two quid.”

Jamal’s eyes widened. “Bruv, the fuck?” he hissed.

Eggsy shrugged. “Don’t worry ‘bout it. Get whatever you want.”

A waiter came over and took their order, which included an order of lobster nachos. The waiter smiled thinly at them after. “I’m terribly sorry, but it’s house policy on Friday nights to have a form of payment upfront.”

“Yeah, got nuthin’ to do with how we sound,” Eggsy said, digging out his wallet. He handed a card over to the waiter with a wink.

The waiter left and came back with their first round after a minute. He handed the card back to Eggsy. “Please just let me know when you’d like to cash out, Mr. Hart.” His tone was noticeably more respectful than it had been.

“I’ll do that.”

Ryan’s brow rose. “Mr. Hart, huh?”

Eggsy shrugged. “He got me a card with his surname cos it’ll be mine in a couple weeks.”

Then the questions began and Eggsy laughed quietly, listening as they spoke over each other, asking everything at once. They finally quieted and Eggsy settled back against the booth.

“One at a time, alright?”

“Give us the basics,” Liam said.

“He is… tall, fuckin’ fit, works as a tailor.”

“A tailor?” Jamal laughed.

“Yeah. On Savile Row.” He grinned at them. “He’s got a terrible sense of humor and appreciates that my jacket’s ‘mildly obnoxious’.”

“Sounds like you two was made for each other,” Ryan snorted.

“He adores Daisy. Told me he’d always wanted a daughter.”

“And the downside?” Brandon asked.

Eggsy shrugged and shook his head. “I dunno yet. I expect he won’t let me find out until we actually get married.”

“He don’t hurt you though, right?” Ryan asked.

“Ain’t laid a hand on me. And, fuck, we only kissed the first time tonight.” He paused, eyed them all for a moment, and took a breath. “He’s 53.”

He’d expected them to be shocked by that, but they all took it in stride. But considering the kind of marriage he was getting into, he realized they’d probably _expected_ Harry to be older. How many blokes their age was lookin’ to just take care of a househusband?

“So what happens,” Brandon began, “when you’re married and he starts smackin’ you around?”

“We got a contract. He does that, I have every right to have the marriage dissolved and…” he shook his head. “The money he’d have to give me? I’d be set for fuckin’ life, and _he’s_ the one who set it up like that.”

“Well, damn, bruv,” Jamal said, shaking his head, “maybe I oughta get an account.”

“There ain’t two men like him in the world. Can’t be.” Eggsy shook his head. “And for whatever reason, this one wants me.”

The subject drifted away from Harry after that, although Eggsy could tell they were still curious. He _was_ grateful they didn’t ask more than they had, although he had a feeling Jamal was gonna get him alone and ask some questions he’d be less than comfortable answering with the others around. 

It was 2:30 when they left. They were all completely pissed and they made a decent attempt at walking out gracefully. This was a place Harry went often enough that they knew the family name. They only stumbled a couple times, and then broke into drunken giggles once they were outside. Eggsy made an attempt at shushing them as they staggered to the car. Eggsy sat between Ryan and Brandon on the way back, and his mates had their heads hanging out the windows like dogs. Dave had to unlock the door for them when they got back to the house and he made sure they were all inside before leaving.

19

They’d found five glasses of water and a bottle of pain relievers on the coffee table. There was a note from Harry, instructing them to each take some, but none of them were seeing straight enough to read it. They did, however, each take a couple pills and drink the water down. They’d been out drinking enough times to know, even in their very inebriated states, to take it.

Ryan and Brandon had taken the two armchairs; Jamal and Liam had both squeezed on the sofa, their heads at opposite ends. Eggsy had taken a spot on the floor. He’d slept in worse places than on Harry’s carpeted floor. He woke up when something little and squirmy started crawling on him, followed by wet kisses on his face.

“It’s a Daisy Monster,” he said, his voice slurred with sleep. “Go attack Uncle Ryan.”

The warm little monster squirmed off of him and ran over to the chair Ryan was still asleep on. She clambered up onto him - Eggsy knew by the sleepy ‘oof’ out of him - and started giggling and giving _him_ wet kisses. By the time Ryan and gotten her to go after Jamal and Liam, Eggsy was sitting up and folding up his blanket.

And he’d realized he could smell breakfast being made. He got up and went into the kitchen and saw Harry busy as work. He had eggs, bacon, and sausage going. He had a stack of bread on a plate ready for toasting.

“Thought I was supposed to be doin’ the cookin’.”

“You were asleep,” Harry said and looked over his shoulder at him. “Are you hungover at all?”

He shook his head. “No, thanks to you.”

“If you’d like, you could set the table for us.”

“Sure.”

Harry smiled softly as Eggsy started getting out utensils. “We could use that lovely china of yours. Only if you like, of course, but I would think my meeting your closest friends and their meeting your fiancé would quality as a special occasion.”

Eggsy grinned, his cheeks tinging with pink. He got down his parent’s wedding china and started setting the table. He got Daisy her flower print plate so that she could have something fancier looking, too. He filled Daisy’s sippy cup with juice and brought it out to her.

“It’s about ready,” he told them.

They went out, each of them taking a seat, and Eggsy helped Harry get the food out to the table. He got Daisy her food - Harry had scrambled her egg - and cut it up. He brought it out for her, kissed the top of her head, and took his own seat.

“So, um… Ryan, Brandon, Jamal, Liam,” he said, going around the table in order. “And that’s, um, Harry.”

Eggsy mostly listened as they made small talk, and he noticed again how deftly Harry managed to keep the conversation off of himself. He answered questions when asked, but then always managed to quite naturally get the others talking about themselves.

“Did you all grow up together?”

“The three of us did,” Liam said, indicating Ryan and Brandon. “Eggsy and Jamal we didn’t meet until secondary school.”

“I met him when he an’ his mum moved into the estates. Ended up in the same school as him.” Jamal laughed. “First day Eggsy showed up-” He cut himself off with a glance at Eggsy.

“I had hair almost down to my arse. Pretty sure mum had already stopped tryin’ ta force me into a dress though.”

“He managed to get on the wrong side of some-a the blokes. They figured new kid, easy target. He managed to beat the shit out of two of ‘em ‘fore they got the upper hand.”

“They had it comin’.” Eggsy grinned and shrugged. “Can’t help it if I’ve always been feisty.”

“That’s _one_ word for it,” Ryan said.

“You know he stole my first girlfriend?”

Eggsy snorted a laugh. “We was _nine_ at the time! And all I did was give her a toy.” He grinned and shrugged.

“Clearly, she had excellent taste.”

Eggsy felt himself flushing at Harry’s words. He could _feel_ his mates’ eyes on him and it just made him flush all the more; he could feel the heat crawling up his neck. He looked briefly at Harry and saw that mischievous twinkle again. Harry was fuckin’ _enjoyin’_ this.

Harry kept at it, too. Every so often, he’d pay Eggsy an unexpected compliment and watch as the flush crept back into his cheeks or up his neck. If Eggsy had seemed uncomfortable, he would have stopped, but he could see the shyly pleased smile Eggsy kept trying to hide. Eggsy just wasn’t accustomed to random compliments.

“Shall we adjourn to the lounge?” Harry asked during a lull in the conversation. Everyone had finished their food quite some time ago but he hadn’t wanted to interrupt the conversation to suggest it.

“Yeah,” Jamal said, rising. “You lads take the little princess with you. Eggsy an’ me’ll clean up.”

Eggsy kept from rolling his eyes and just started gathering the plates up while the others went into the lounge. Harry put a hand on his neck as he passed and Eggsy felt heat bloom within him at the touch. He was, undeniably, attracted to Harry.

“So.”

Eggsy looked over at Jamal, pulling himself out of his thoughts. “He doesn’t and he ain’t.”

Jamal’s brow rose as they went into the kitchen. “Doesn’t and ain’t what?”

"He don't make me do nothin' I don't like and he ain't made a thing 'bout my bein' born a girl." He grinned. "His concern there was I'd get hurt by a John."

"You two only kissed last night though. He might be one of 'em with a fetish or somethin'."

Eggsy shrugged. "My account didn't say nothin' 'bout it."

Jamal frowned and looked toward the lounge. "He a serial killer or somethin'?"

"Right?"

"Well, he starts shit, you let us know, bruv."

"Course."

They got the dishes in the sink and went into the lounge. Brandon was in one armchair, Harry in the other. Jamal went over to the sofa and sat next to Liam. Daisy was curled up in Liam's lap. That left Eggsy with… the floor or…

A smirk slowly spread across his face and he sauntered over to the chair Harry was sitting in and set himself down on the arm of it. He saw the mild but clearly disapproving frown form on Harry’s face.

“Problem?”

“One generally does not sit on the _arm_ of the chair.”

The smirk grew. “Oh! Well, in that case.”

He let himself slide off the arm and onto Harry’s lap, and then it was Harry’s turn to flush. Eggsy gave him a mildly challenging look, silently daring the man to tell him to sit on the floor. He thought for a moment Harry might actually do it, as an uncertain look crossed his features. And then Harry just lightly placed one hand on the small of his back. Eggsy actually looked surprised at that. He’d expected Harry to just… put his hands sensibly on the chair arms. But the man _had_ sorta been flirting with him all morning…

He debated leaning against Harry a bit, but then he decided against it. He was probably already pushing it by sitting in Harry’s lap. Was that something expected of you when you married a gentleman? Or were you supposed to be quiet and, like, demure and shit and pretend like there wasn’t nothin’ hot about your husband? He shrugged the thoughts off and put one hand on the arm of the chair to keep himself balanced. 

Eggsy did a lot of listening as his mates and Harry kept talking. He added his comments here and there as he liked, but… he was really enjoying just watching them interact. Cos Harry treated his mates with the same respect he’d seen Harry treat everyone with. It really just… Harry just wasn’t a rich snob toward _anyone_ , and it was still surprising him every time. He grinned a little to himself, wondering if Harry would be just as calmly polite toward Dean if he’d ever met him.

They stayed until it was time for Daisy’s nap. Harry took her upstairs to give the young men a chance to talk without him around and to say their farewells. He stayed upstairs longer than was perhaps necessary, but he didn’t want them to feel as if he were hovering over Eggsy. The car was outside by the time he came downstairs and Harry saw them off with Eggsy.

“Well…?” Eggsy asked him.

Harry could hear the faint nervous undercurrent in the single word. “I quite enjoyed them.”

“So… it’s alright if they come over from time to time?”

Harry laughed softly and put a hand on the back of Eggsy’s neck. “Of course it is, and you _are_ welcome to go and visit them whenever you like. Just call for a car. I would appreciate knowing if you go somewhere, just in case something happens.”

Eggsy looked up at him, a soft smile on his face. Because there was _nothing_ threatening in that request. No silent promise of a beating if he didn’t. No silent demand to be asked before leaving. Just… that gentle concern for his safety again. _Fuck_. Harry _really_ needed to show whatever terrible things there were about him, cos he was gonna fall for him _hard_ otherwise.


	4. Chapter 4

20

It was a few days later, and they were having their after-dinner drink while Daisy watched something fun. Eggsy had taken to putting on the more educational shows during the day for her and things that were just for enjoyment at night. Harry generally read the news on his mobile after dinner, and Eggsy had taken to reading cooking blogs in between playing games on his own mobile. He wanted to be better than he had been. Harry had told him that ‘true nobility is being superior to your former self’. He didn’t think the comment had been particularly pointed or a demand, but he still found himself wanting to try.

“I do hope you don’t mind,” Harry said as a message popped up on his mobile. “I asked a friend’s daughter if she’d take you out tonight. Her name is Roxanne and I thought she might be a bit more in tune with places you’d enjoy.”

Eggsy looked at him askance. “Oh. Okay.”

“If it’s a problem, Eggsy, I can tell her not to come.”

He shook his head. “No, it… ain’t that.” He was quiet for a moment. “This isn’t, like, you tryin’ to find me a girlfriend or somethin’ cos I said I was alright with you still seein’ Hamish?”

Harry’s eyes widened slightly. “Heavens, no. I wouldn’t presume. Of course, if that _is_ something you’re interested in, I would hardly deny you when you’ve… been so generous toward me.”

Eggsy flushed lightly. _He’d_ been generous? Harry was the one who’d opened his home - and his bank account - to two strangers. “What if… we don’t hit it off?”

Harry shook his head. “Then you don’t hit it off. You aren’t required to like her, Eggsy.” He was quiet for a moment. “Her step-father and I were rather close, and I admit that is part of my reason for introducing you to her.”

Eggsy grinned. “When’s she supposed to be here?”

“She’s just about to leave, so about a quarter of an hour.”

Eggsy went to change into something nicer. Harry was waiting in the entryway when he came back downstairs. Eggsy grinned at him and jumped down the bottom two steps. 

“Givin’ us a kiss, are you?”

“If… you would like, but that wasn’t my intention, no.”

Eggsy went over to him and put his arms around Harry’s neck. “I _would_ like one, yes.”

Harry put his hands on Eggsy’s waist and leaned in to kiss him. It was soft, chaste, and lingering. But he could feel the younger man’s lips parting ever so slightly, inviting him to deepen it if he so desired. And for a moment, he thought about doing it. He thought about exploring Eggsy’s mouth, taking what was being offered to him.

But then he broke the kiss and pulled away from him. He should _not_ want this. He should _not_ want to feel the younger man’s arms around his neck, those lips on his. The entire _point_ of this was to take care of him, to repay Lee’s sacrifice. The point was _not_ to… to… to _seduce_ him.

“So what _was_ you out here for?”

“I just… wanted to let you know that if you _do_ find that you like Roxanne…” He was quiet for a moment. “You deserve to have someone you love, as well, Eggsy.”

“Yeah, I know I do.”

Eggsy gave him a soft little smile and headed outside. Harry watched him go. It had _not_ been difficult to decipher that smile, that look in his eyes. It told him that he wasn’t the _only_ one who was feeling things. It told him that Eggsy could _be_ falling in love with him.

He put his glasses on and connected to Merlin. “I think I may have a problem.”

“ _What’s that?_ ”

“Eggsy may be developing feelings for me.”

Merlin was quiet for a moment. “ _Oh, yes, a terrible thing for a man to have feelings for the person he’s marrying._ ”

“Are you going to say the same thing when I tell you that I… am also developing feelings?”

Merlin was quiet for a long time before he sighed softly. “ _I’m happy for you, Harry._ ”

“No, you really aren’t, but this was _not_ part of the plan. This was supposed to be _convenience_.”

“ _Harry… it was bound to happen._ ”

It was Harry’s turn to be quiet. If Merlin thought it was bound to happen… Merlin must have already been considering that as a possibility when they’d first talked about this. Merlin had already considered that he’d be watching the man he loved… fall in love with someone else.

“Eggsy made me an offer. I think… Well, I’d like to talk with you about it. Come for supper tomorrow night?”

“ _Alright. I’ll be over around six._ ”

Harry disconnected and slipped his glasses back into his suit coat pocket. He hadn’t brought up the idea before now; he hadn’t been certain how he felt about it. But he couldn’t ask Merlin to just… _watch_ this happen. Not without giving him another option.

21

Roxanne - well, she’d told him to call her Roxy - had a car Rottie woulda been jealous of. He both wanted and didn’t want to touch much of anything in it. There were all the standard buttons and everything was electronic. There was a built in gps and a rearview camera. There was also… half a dozen buttons that were unlabeled that Eggsy had _no_ idea what they were even for. And she drove about the way he did.

“Anything particular you wanna do?”

He shrugged. “Never really had the money to do much. Me an’ my mates’d go to pubs or go sorta loiter around in front of a store or wherever else.”

“Well, there’s the shopping center?”

“Harry an’ me went there to get clothes.”

She chuckled. “Is that a ‘no’ then?”

He was quiet for a moment. “Not really. I ain’t carryin’ your purse for you though.”

“I don’t carry a purse,” she said with a little grin.

“No? What kinda bird are you?”

She laughed. “I like being able to have both hands free, just in case I need to shoot someone.”

He snorted a laugh. Clearly, Harry’d had an impact on her sense of humor. “Well, just give me some warnin’ before you start firing.”

“Will do.”

She drove them to the center and found a spot not too far from an entrance. He walked alongside her, feeling a touch self-conscious. Going shopping was a ‘girl thing’ and certainly not something he was supposed to enjoy. And he never really had. But… he’d never had access to the sort of money he did now. Harry had given him permission to use the card as he liked, so he could buy somethin’ for Daise… or himself, for that matter.

They walked around a couple stores, more talking and getting to know each other than actually shopping. Eggsy was not unaware of the way a lot of the security guards were keeping an eye on him; he kept his hands in his pockets as they walked along. He sighed a soft groan when he saw an Adidas store. 

“So, let’s go.”

He shook his head. “Shit’s pricey as fuck and Harry just bought me a couple jackets.”

“Hmm, well, Harry would hardly say ‘no’ to you getting matching trainers and caps.” She saw the uncertain look on his face and laughed softly. “No, really. Harry _quite_ understands things like this, and there’s no way you’ll spend the amount in there that he spends on a single suit.”

He grinned at her and they went in the store. It would just be _a_ pair of trainers and _a_ cap. Harry’d be alright with that. He hoped. But as they went through the store, he saw another jacket that he wanted. It was _bright_ orange, almost painfully so.

“Get it.”

He thought about it and took the jacket down. “You know, ‘fore everythin’ went to shit, I had a few. Nicked one of ‘em; rest of ‘em fell off the back of lorries. It’s… weirdly nice to be able to actually buy them,” he said. “Even if it’s with Harry’s money.”

They found matching trainers and caps for his jackets and paid. They wandered around for a bit, stopping into one store to get Roxy bath bombs and stopping into a second to get Daisy some movies. Roxy took him down to a coffee shop and got them both blended iced coffees. Eggsy grumbled a bit that they were girl coffees, but still drank it; they were ‘a girl thing’ he secretly liked.

On their way back out, they passed a jewelry kiosk and Roxy wanted to stop. Eggsy let her look at the more feminine things while he looked at chain necklaces. He’d had a few nice chains back before everything went to shit, and the kiosk had one almost identical to one he’d had. The price tag was upside down and he reached out to flip it over. Before he could, a hand with nicely done, bright red nails slapped down on the chain.

He looked at the owner of the hand. “Just tryin’ to check the price. Tag’s upside down.”

“ _You_ can’t afford it,” she sneered at him.

He stared at her for a moment and then rolled his eyes. It wouldn’t matter to her if she realized he was carrying bags from a couple stores. People like _him_ weren’t supposed to be in a shopping center like this, and she certainly was _not_ going to have someone like _him_ shopping at _her_ kiosk.

“Probably just shit anyway,” he said.

Roxy walked away with him. “There’s a store down the other way,” she offered. 

“Nah, let’s… just go.”

They headed toward the exit and Eggsy saw a couple security guards. He rolled his eyes, wondering which one was gonna stop him and want to check his bags. But neither of them bothered him and they headed back to Roxy’s car. She started driving in the direction of Harry’s house.

He knew it shouldn’t bother him. He knew that was how a lot of these rich fuckers were always gonna see him. He could dress up like Harry, but his accent and his way of walking would give him up every time. And he wasn’t gonna change everything about himself just for a bunch of fuckers. Harry saw his worth, even with how he spoke and walked.

“Feeling better?”

He looked over at her. “What?”

“You’re smiling.”

“Just… thinkin’.”

She grinned. “About Harry?”

He shrugged. “Kinda.” He was quiet for a moment. “You’ve known him longer than I have. What’s his temper like?”

Her brow rose. “Well, that depends.”

“On?”

“Well,” she began, “on the reason for it, mainly. I don’t think he has much of a _domestic_ temper, assuming that’s what you’re concerned about. He’d be more likely to sit you down for a long, involved conversation on the problem.”

He nodded slowly. If Harry kept a lid on his temper when dealing with his partner, then he must have really upset Harry by offering to be his whore. He wondered if he shouldn’t push Harry into talking about it with him. Maybe Harry was waiting for him to ask about it.

“So you asked me about Harry; I get to ask you something about him now, right?”

Eggsy laughed. “You mean there’s things you don’t know about him?”

She grinned. “Just because he and my dad are friends, that doesn’t mean I know everything about him.”

“Shoot.”

“Does he… talk about work ever?”

Eggsy shrugged. “Sorta? I mean, he tells me about shipments that don’t go the way they should, or somethin’ goes wrong and he an’ Hamish have to scramble. But, like, he don’t bitch about it, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“Did he tell you I work for Kingsman?”

“No.” He eyed her for a moment. “He didn’t, you know, _make_ you do this, did he?”

“No,” she laughed. “He asked if I would, yes, but it was hardly an order. Harry, shockingly, doesn’t really know many people our age.”

Eggsy snickered. “Yeah, right shocking, that.”

She got her mobile out and tossed it to him. “Put your number in. We’ll do this again, without Harry asking.”

Eggsy grinned. “Yeah, alright.”

He put his information in her mobile and then texted himself from it so he’d have hers. He liked her, and he didn’t think that Harry’s setting them up for an outing was a pointed comment on his mates. He’d have to invite her along the next time they went out to a pub or some such; see how they got on.

22

The next night found Daisy dressed up in a soft yellow, ruffly dress and her hair held back by an elastic headband. Eggsy had gotten Harry to send him the car and he went shopping, just long enough to get a few groceries and get himself a nice pair of trousers and a button down.

By the time Harry and Merlin got there, Eggsy had changed into them and was nearly finished with dinner. Harry stood in the kitchen doorway, watching Eggsy. The kitchen smelled of garlic, and port, and meat.

“I thought the plan was take-away.”

Eggsy looked over at him and grinned. “Yeah, but I thought this’d be a little nicer. And I found a cookin’ blog with a video. It’s gonna be done in a couple minutes, if you wanna get the salad outta the fridge.”

Harry got it out of the fridge, and the dressing Eggsy had apparently made to go with it, and set it out on the dining room table. Eggsy had set it with his parent’s wedding china, and Harry smiled softly at the sight of it. Harry doubted Eggsy would have used that if this wasn’t actually important to him. 

Harry went to the wine cooler and got out a bottle that would go nicely with what Eggsy had made and filled three glasses. He brought out the plate Eggsy had prepared for Daisy, and then got both her and Merlin to join them in the dining room. He tried to help Eggsy bring out their meals but Eggsy waved him off. Eggsy brought out Merlin’s plate first, and then his and Harry’s plates.

Merlin eyed the meal appreciatively. It was a blue cheese crusted filet mignon sitting on a little mound of mashed potatoes the same size as the steak. Eggsy had made asparagus to go with it, and set them on the plate artistically, the way the video had shown him.

“It looks very elegant, Eggsy.”

Eggsy grinned at him. “I just hope it tastes the way it’s supposed to. Ain’t made it before.”

“I’m sure it will be just fine, my dear.”

Eggsy ducked his head, flushing lightly. He doubted Harry would complain even if he’d burned everything. It was still so strange to him, so _new_. Growing up, there’d been more than once when Dean had gotten upset over how Michelle had cooked something and Eggsy had seen him throw whatever it had been before storming out. But Harry… wasn’t like that. The times he’d fucked up dinner, Harry had still eaten it, complimenting the things Eggsy had done right or close enough, and then offered to help him the next time.

They talked as they ate, Eggsy and Merlin verbally feeling each other out. Anytime there was a lull, Harry would bring up some point about one of the two men to give them something to talk about. It was slow going, at least until Harry brought up Merlin’s love of football.

It wasn’t long before Eggsy and Merlin were deeply involved in a conversation that Harry had mostly stopped following. He was _not_ a football fan and had only kept up on it because Merlin tended to be over the house when the game was on. He _was_ pleased, however, that they both enjoyed it. It would give them a point to bond over.

By the time they retired to the lounge, Eggsy and Merlin had managed to springboard from football to other mutual interests. Harry kept their wine glasses full until it was time for Daisy’s bath. He took her upstairs, got her bathed, and then put her to bed. He went back downstairs after; Merlin and Eggsy fell silent when he walked into the lounge.

“Yer both… honestly alright with this?”

“Mm-hmm.” Eggsy nodded. “Harry has… given me so much. Ain’t nothin’ I can really give him. But… I can give him this.”

Harry came closer, but stayed on the other side of the coffee table. He could have joined them on the sofa, but he wanted them to be able to see each other easily. “What… would either of you like or not like in this?”

“Well,” Eggsy shrugged. “I’d still like to wake up next to you. I mean, doin’ that every night isn’t really realistic, but… I’d still like to be able to.”

“I wasn’t… planning on spending every night with him, Eggsy,” Harry said softly. “I suppose the question is… how am I dividing my time? Every other day? Four days and four days? As I feel like it?”

Eggsy laughed softly. “Shame you ain’t got another bedroom. Then you an’ Hamish could have your bedroom back an’ I could take the other one.”

Harry walked around the coffee table and leaned down to Eggsy. He put his hands on the younger man’s cheeks. “The bedroom is yours and mine as much as it ever was his and mine.”

Eggsy flushed and grinned. “Well… point stands, yeah?”

Harry gently and softly kissed his lips, unprompted. “Yes.”

Merlin watched them for a moment. He was _definitely_ feeling a bit jealous. He knew he was possessive about things - and people - that were his… but he could see how Harry had come to care for Eggsy. He could handle sharing Harry with the young man; he was _going_ to, at any rate.

“Eggsy’s right.”

Harry looked over at him. “Well, yes. Are you suggesting we relocate?”

He was… a little surprised at how badly he was mentally balking at the idea. He’d lived in the house for nearly thirty years, for more than half of his life. But he was also the only one of them who hadn’t really made a sacrifice. If it was what they needed to do, it’s what they’d do.

“No,” Merlin said with a little smirk. Harry might have kept his feelings from showing, but they showed _enough_ for him to have caught them. “I think… maybe we ought to consider my moving back in. Eventually, I mean. Eggsy, I’m sure, would want to get to know me a bit more.”

Eggsy eyed him for a moment. “So… we both sleep with Harry every night?”

Merlin nodded. “Yes.”

“And if you an’ Harry wanna fuck?”

Merlin tipped his head slightly, his brow rising. It was almost a half-shrug. “Well, I think we’re all adults here.”

“Supposedly,” Eggsy grinned. 

Merlin laughed softly. “Yes, supposedly, but I think we’re adult enough for this and we have mobiles.”

Eggsy nodded slowly after a second. “So… you an’ Harry go on upstairs and text me when I’m clear to come up?”

“Or when _I’m_ clear to come up.”

It was Eggsy’s turn to laugh softly. Harry had just gotten comfortable enough to kiss him without being asked. He had a feeling it was gonna be a good long while before Harry was comfortable enough for sex. And having Hamish around… he kinda wondered if that would _ever_ end up happening. That wasn’t so much an issue; he had two hands and he doubted Harry would deny him some toys. But… it wasn’t the same as feeling another person’s hands on his body.

“Yeah, that,” he said. “You _do_ know I knew almost nothin’ about Harry when I moved in, yeah? I mean, I been sleepin’ with him every night and gettin’ to know him.”

Merlin’s brow rose again. “So… you… think I should move in now?”

“Why not? Even if we end up not likin’ each other,” he shrugged. “Like you said, we all adults.”

“I don’t want you both unhappy,” Harry said softly.

Eggsy shook his head. “If we end up unhappy about it, we’ll talk. An’ really, I’ve told you about my stepdad. I think I can handle livin’ with the sort of person you’d fall for.”

Merlin was quiet for a moment. “I’m willing to try.”

“Why don’t you two go on upstairs then?”

“Eggsy-”

“I don’t mean you two gotta fuck, Harry. But I’ve been livin’ here for three weeks and I dunno how long before that you two broke it off.” He nodded toward the stairs. “Go on. Have some alone time, have a kiss and a cuddle. Whatever.”

Harry watched him for a moment, looking for signs that this was something akin to his offer of sex their first night together. But he didn’t see anything like that. Just… honest and open willingness. 

He leaned down again and gently kissed Eggsy’s lips. He wanted - oh, fuck, he _wanted_ \- to guide the younger man’s mouth open; to explore him the way he’d offered just the night before. But he pulled away and looked over at Merlin before leading him upstairs.

23

Harry had given Merlin a pair of his pyjama bottoms; they were a little tighter on Merlin but he didn't complain. Harry was, sensibly, in a full set. The were laying face-to-face, arms around each other, foreheads touching. There was, certainly, a desire for something more sexual, but the need for simple, intimate contact was far greater. 

"I've missed this," Harry said softly. 

"I've missed _you_."

Harry chuckled. "You see me nearly every day."

"No, I see _Arthur_ nearly every day."

Harry hummed softly. "I suppose there _is_ a bit of a difference there."

They lay in each other's arms, sometimes talking, sometimes kissing, sometimes just enjoying each other. Harry realized he'd been dozing for some time and rolled out of Merlin's arms enough to text Eggsy. There was no immediate answer, so he called. When there was still no answer, he got up and went downstairs. He found Eggsy asleep on the sofa, his mobile on the floor. He went over to Eggsy and picked him up. The younger man stirred, fighting to wake up, and Harry gently shushed him. 

"I'm just taking you up to bed," he said softly. 

Eggsy settled against Harry, his arms going around the older man’s neck. “‘kay.” 

Eggsy was asleep again by the time Harry got him upstairs. Harry laid Eggsy on the right side of the bed. That was normally his side, and it had been even before he and Merlin had broken things off so he could marry Eggsy. Merlin had fallen asleep on _his_ side, on the side that had become Eggsy’s.

Harry leaned down placed a gentle kiss on Eggsy’s lips. “Are you awake enough to get changed?”

“Mm-hmm.”

Harry smiled a little at how out Eggsy still was. He hadn’t expected it, not with how Eggsy had grown up. “I’m going to take your shirt and trousers off, darling.”

“Mm-kay.”

Harry gently unbuttoned Eggsy’s shirt and slipped it off of his arms. Once it was off, Harry undid the button and fly of Eggsy’s trousers. He took care to keep his touch light, and Eggsy didn’t stir until he felt the trousers being slipped off of his body.

Eggsy sat up on his arms, his eyes wide and staring. He watched Harry for just a moment and then fell back on the pillow. Harry smiled to himself at the realization that Eggsy hadn’t actually woken up. Eggsy had woken up enough to assess what he’d taken as a threat, and Eggsy trusted him enough to not view him as one.

He took the clothing to the hamper and dropped it in. He wasn’t going to worry about trying to get Eggsy into a pair of pyjama bottoms. His young fiancé had an undershirt and pair of boxers on; Eggsy was decent enough for both of their tastes.

Harry turned to go back to the bed and had to bite down a laugh. Eggsy had sought out the warmth and comfort of the other body in bed with him and was curled up against Merlin. It had become something of a normal thing between the two of them, and he supposed he really shouldn’t have been surprised. He got into bed on the other side of Eggsy and put an arm around his waist. Eggsy murmured something in his sleep but didn’t move. 

24

Eggsy woke up first in the morning. He was cuddled up against Harry; against Harry’s bare back for that matter. He wasn’t sure when / how he’d gotten into bed, or when he’d gotten undressed, or why he was in his undershirt and boxers instead of pyjama bottoms. And then he realized arms clad in silky smooth cotton were around him and there was warmth against his back as well.

He came up off the bed with a start, scrambling down the center of the bed and taking the blanket and sheet with him. He was in bed with _two men_ and his still sleep-muddled brain wasn’t connecting it to Harry and Hamish; his sleep-muddled brain was screaming ‘threat’.

He was down at the foot of the bed when he stopped scrambling. He heard the blanket and sheet slide onto the floor. His heart was hammering in his chest and his eyes were wide. And then he managed to process what had happened. He’d slept _between_ the two men who were looking at him with total concern.

“Sorry,” he muttered sheepishly.

“It’s quite alright, Eggsy,” Harry said softly as he sat up. “You didn’t really wake up when I brought you up here last night. I _had_ intended to sleep in the middle but… you were up against Hamish before I could even get into bed.”

Harry held his arms out to Eggsy and Eggsy crawled up the bed to him, burrowing into those waiting arms that could probably snap him in half if their owner ever had a mind to. But he wasn’t afraid of them, wasn’t afraid of Harry. He found comfort and safety in Harry’s arms, and Eggsy quickly felt himself calming. He felt a hand on his shoulder after a moment and smiled a little against Harry’s chest. Hamish had no real reason to try and comfort him, and yet the older man was doing it anyway.

Although, really, should he have expected anything else from Harry’s longtime lover?

“Why don’t I cook this morning?”

Eggsy looked up at Harry. “It’s my job though.”

Yes, I know it is. That doesn’t mean I can’t do it for you.” Harry kissed his forehead. “I’m going to shower and dress. Do _not_ start cooking.”

Eggsy grinned. “Yes, Sir,” he teased.

Harry’s brow rose slightly. He could hear the teasing tone, but it _did_ make him wonder if Eggsy _had_ submissive tendencies. It wasn’t something he planned to bring up quickly, of course; not with everything that he had allowed to happen to the young man. Maybe, in five or six years, once he felt less guilty about even the thought of sex with Eggsy, once Eggsy showed that he completely trusted him, maybe then he’d bring it up.

Eggsy watched Harry go into the walk-in and come back out with a suit. He waited until Harry had gone out of the bedroom before getting out of bed. He got pyjama bottoms out of his chest of drawers and pulled them on, aware of Merlin’s presence but not really feeling stared at. And, when he turned around, he saw that he was right. Merlin was laying back, one arm folded behind his head; he was reading something on his mobile.

He went downstairs and into the kitchen. He wasn’t planning on cooking, not with Harry having told him not to. He got out the plates and mugs they’d need, including one of Daisy’s plates and her sippy cup. He got out the utensils they’d need and set them on the table; Harry and Merlin’s at either head of the table and his own to Harry’s left.

It was where he’d sat since the first day, with Daisy across from him. He hadn’t really felt like he… what? Deserved to be sitting at the head? It had been something like that, especially considering he _had_ been expecting Harry to want all sorts of sexual things, even with the rules in the contract. And then it had just… become routine, the three of them sitting at one end of the table, Harry in the middle. Almost like a family. Although he supposed they _were_ becoming that.

With a little grin at the thought, Eggsy went into the lounge. He picked up his mobile from where it had fallen the night before and did what little straightening and cleaning the room needed. Then he settled on the sofa and started rereading what he’d fallen asleep with the night before. It was a forum on poly relationships. He’d never actually been in one; hell, his last actual relationship had been when he’d been fifteen.

It was a bit before Harry came downstairs. He took one look in the dining room and stepped into the lounge doorway. Eggsy grinned at him and stood up. He walked over to Harry, doing his best to look totally innocent and not at all like the little shit he was.

“I thought I told you to do nothing,” Harry said, his voice a warm, low rumble.

Eggsy felt his breath catch and his body heat up. There was certainly _something_ to that tone. “No,” he said after a moment. “You said no cooking. You didn’t say I couldn’t get you out the plates and shit you’d need.”

Harry curled his hand under Eggsy’s chin. Eggsy let his head be tipped back slightly, his green eyes meeting Harry’s dark eyes. Harry saw no fear in the younger man’s eyes. Some hesitance, some desire, but no actual fear. 

“I _suppose_ you’re correct,” Harry said in that same rumble.

Eggsy shivered lightly as something hitherto undiscovered within himself reacted to the way Harry was speaking. Harry stepped closer, the small space between them vanishing. Harry slid his hand from Eggsy’s chin to his cheek even as his free hand went to the small of the younger man’s back. Eggsy’s hands went to Harry’s shoulders even as the older man leaned forward to kiss him.

Eggsy sighed softly at the scent of Harry’s cologne, of the soap he’d used. He pressed against Harry, arching into the kiss. He grinned a little as their bodies met; he could _feel_ how hard Harry was getting, and it made heat shoot through his body. 

He expected Harry to break the kiss quickly, but then he felt Harry’s mouth open against his own. He sighed a moan and let his own lips part. He could taste the mint on Harry’s breath and on the tongue that was firmly but gently exploring his mouth. He slid his tongue along Harry’s own, his eyes slipping shut. He whined softly as Harry withdrew from his mouth, but then he realized he was being invited to explore Harry in the same way. He slowly ran his tongue along Harry’s teeth; they were too perfect to be anything but caps. He withdrew and Harry started slowly fucking his mouth with his tongue. Eggsy’s eyes rolled back at the feeling of the soft, slow fucking and he sighed softly when Harry did finally break the kiss.

He kept his arms around Harry’s neck, kept himself pressed against the man he was going to marry. He had to wonder if Harry fucked as good as he kissed. He supposed he’d find out on their wedding night… which was still nearly two weeks away. Two weeks where that kiss was going to haunt him as he wondered just what it was going to be like to be actually fucked by the man.

“You… either need to go make breakfast or take me upstairs.”

Harry wanted to take him upstairs; oh, _fuck_ , did he want to take Eggsy upstairs. But he shouldn’t have even _kissed_ him like that. His eyes flickered from Eggsy, to the picture of Lee, and back to Eggsy. He put his hands on Eggsy’s arms and gently pulled them away from his neck. He was feeling a somewhat odd mix of guilt and regret.

“I’ll go make breakfast,” he said softly.

Eggsy watched him go and then looked up at his dad’s picture. What was there for Harry to feel _guilty_ about kissing his fiancé? Or his fiancé wanting him? It wasn’t Hamish; they’d both been fine with this arrangement. And he’d never gotten the impression that Harry was Catholic, so why the guilt? He shrugged to himself. Maybe it was the age gap or the fact that they’d gotten together because he’d been in dire straits. Or maybe - given that little flicker - it was cos his dad was sorta watching. He decided that must be it, and that he’d talk to Harry about it and about how he really _did_ like him.

25

Two days later and he hadn’t brought it up with Harry yet. Hamish had stayed with them both days and Eggsy felt this was a conversation that ought to be had when it was _just_ the two of them. It was time for his second fitting; he looked in the lounge and debated asking Harry if he’d come along. But… there was no _good_ way of asking without making it sound like he was trying to exclude Hamish. Also, who the fuck wants to go into work on their day off?

“Car’s here,” he told them. “I’ll be back in a bit.”

It was less than a quarter hour and he was inside the shop. He smiled a little shyly at the tailors on duty; it was the same pair who he’d met the last time. He knew he had no real reason to feel out of place, but he was there in fuckin’ jeans and a polo with his bright orange jacket and a cap. He _looked_ out of place and - despite knowing it wouldn’t happen - he still half-expected to be kicked out since he’d come alone.

“Ah, Mr. Unwin, how wonderful that you’re right on time,” Andrew said with a restrained smile. The younger tailor - John - bit down on a laugh.

Eggsy grinned; he knew it was a joke about Harry’s penchant for being late. It made him feel a bit more at ease and he followed the older man into fitting room 3. His suit was hanging from one of the hooks and Andrew bowed politely and left him to change. The tailor knocked when he returned and he had a pair of oxfords in hand.

“If you’d put these on, sir.”

Eggsy took them and started putting them on.

“Normally, we would have offered you the choice between oxfords and brogues, but given Mr. Hart’s feelings, we thought it best to just give you oxfords.”

Eggsy looked up, a curious frown on his face. “What d’you mean?”

He chuckled. “Has Mr. Hart neglected to tell you his feelings on this?”

“He ain’t… said anythin’ about them.” 

“His words to live by are ‘oxfords, not brogues’,” Andrew chuckled. “I daresay you could say that to anyone here and they’d know you were speaking of Mr. Hart.”

Eggsy stiffened slightly. “I see.”

He shook his head to clear it and stood. He posed and moved as the tailor directed, staying still as his suit was tugged ever so slightly and marked in places. He knew it hadn’t taken as long as it felt, but Andrew’s words were chasing around in his head.

He sat in the chair once Andrew left and just stared at the mirror for a second. ‘Oxfords not brogues’ was how he was to let them know the call was for the military man. If he called Kingsman by their proper number and spoke the phrase, would he be transferred to Harry’s office? Had Andrew even _known_ what he’d just said?

He leaned back against the chair and tipped his head back. He laughed quietly to himself. Harry was the military man. _Harry_ was the fuckin’ military man. A smile started to spread on his lips and then it vanished. This was his favor; that was why Harry had answered the ad. To repay whatever Harry felt was owed. _Fuck_ , no wonder Harry always looked guilty when he brought up sex; no wonder he wasn’t interested in it with him.

So was… anything… something he wanted? The kissing? The touching? Harry holding him and sleeping beside him? Getting _married_?

Fuck.

He sighed and stood up so he could change back into his street clothes. If Hamish was still at the house when he got back, he’d… well… he’d figure out _some_ way to get him to leave for a bit. He’d probably end up upsetting the man but… but he had to talk to Harry. _Had_ to.

26

Eggsy lingered by the door for a moment. He still didn’t know what he was going to say to Hamish. But… he figured it would hardly matter. He went over to the lounge and Harry was the only one in there.

“Where’s Hamish?”

Harry smiled lightly. “He took Daisy upstairs to put her down for a nap. Given the amount of time he’s been up there, I would assume she’s gotten two stories out of him by now.”

Eggsy grinned, but it was somewhat forced, and he went over to the sofa. He sat down beside Harry and just watched him for a moment.

“Are you alright?”

“Do you _want_ to get married?”

Harry looked a bit surprised. “What’s brought this up?”

Eggsy shrugged. “It’s just… I mean.” He sighed and started again. “If you want, we can just… you know… dissolve the contract. You ain’t even have to pay me everything you said you would!”

Harry frowned a little and put a hand on Eggsy’s cheek. “Darling, where is this coming from?”

“You’ve given us both so much,” he said quietly. “You don’t owe me anything, Harry, and… I know how you feel about Hamish. You shouldn’t… have ta marry me just cos you pulled me out of a bad place.”

Harry watched him for a moment. He thought about telling Eggsy that, yes, he _did_ owe Eggsy. But… this was possibly the worst time to do that. It would do the opposite of reassuring Eggsy. Instead, he leaned toward Eggsy and kissed his forehead.

“Are you concerned that you’re forcing me into this?”

Eggsy nodded silently.

“You are not. I would… not have kissed you the way I did this morning if you were. If you like, we _can_ put the marriage off. It would, however, be better for you from a legal standpoint,” Harry smiled a little, mischievously. “And I would, of course, have to cancel several plans for that day.”

Eggsy’s eyes widened. “Whatchu mean?”

Harry laughed. “Did you think we were just… going to go to the Register’s Office and that would be it?”

“Well… yeah?”

Harry shook his head with a soft smile. “No, darling. I’ve planned… a few things.” He was quiet for a moment. “If I had considered that there might be a mutual attraction forming, I would have planned something a bit more grandiose.”

Eggsy grinned. “Well, whatever it is, I love it.”

He thought about telling Harry what he knew, what he’d found out somewhat accidentally. But Harry hadn’t brought it up with him, even after seeing his dad’s picture and the medal up on the bookcase. He wasn’t sure how much it would upset Harry to hear that right now. So he just kissed Harry, firmly and on the mouth, and without taking it further than that. He cuddled up against Harry, letting himself be wrapped up in his fiancé’s arms, at least until Hamish joined them and he’d have to give up one of those arms. 


	5. Chapter 5

27

It was two days before the wedding. Their required waiting period was up and that made Eggsy a little giddy and a little nervous. In two days, he was going to be legally promising to spend the rest of his life with Harry… and probably Hamish by extension. He’d been stress cleaning, not that the house really _needed_ any cleaning. 

For his part, Harry had been letting Eggsy work off the nervous energy. He’d listened as Eggsy had cleaned downstairs and then gone upstairs. A chest of drawers - one matching the other two - was supposed to be delivered and Eggsy was making room for it. Based on the sounds he’d heard, he assumed Eggsy was also changing linens while he was at it. But when he came back downstairs and started looking for more things to clean, Harry took him by the hand and led him into the lounge and made him sit. 

“There’s nothing to be nervous about,” Harry said softly.

“The fuck there ain’t. We’re gettin’ married in two days. _Two days_.” He shook his head.

Harry stroked his cheek. “What has you worried?”

“I… I dunno. You might decide it’s a mistake. Or Hamish. Or… Or I dunno.”

Harry pulled him close and held him. “Or you might?”

Eggsy shrugged. “Even if I did… I mean… the way you take care of us… of Daisy…”

“You would still be taken care of.”

“Yeah, I know…”

Harry was quiet for a moment. “You _do_ know that I’m not going to… treat you the way your step-father treated your mother, I hope.”

Eggsy shifted uncomfortably but didn’t deny that he’d had that very fear.

“Do you… remember when your parents were married?”

“Not really. I mean… I was only six when my dad died.”

Harry nodded. He could remember the little girl he’d given the medal to; a little girl with her hair in a plait and playing with a snow globe. It was difficult to mesh that the little girl he’d seen that day with the young man now in his arms.

“Do you remember your mother ever having bruises? Fighting? Her crying after?”

Eggsy shook his head. “No, but I was little.”

“You were old enough to understand if something bad was happening. What _do_ you remember?”

Eggsy shrugged and was quiet for a moment. “Mum’s snow globes. Dad brought her home one every time he was on leave. Mum would cook special things when dad was home… She was always… so happy when he was home.”

“It sounds like he was good to her.” He kissed Eggsy’s temple. “Not all marriages go the way your mother and step-father’s did.

“Yeah, I know…”

“I promise you: I will never lay a hand on you or Daisy in anger, and neither will Hamish; we will never be intentionally cruel to you, and if we are ever, please tell us; and you will never be made to do anything that makes you uncomfortable.”

Eggsy looked up at Harry, a soft smile in his eyes. He was, most definitely, falling in love with the man. It seemed fast to him - he’d known Harry a total of thirty-three days - but he’d been living with Harry almost the entire time. And Harry had been good to him the entire time; Harry hadn’t even made any comments about his being suddenly nervous. Harry had just reassured him. If this was _really_ what his life was going to be like, he’d be more than happy to stay with the man.

28

It was the morning of… and Harry’s alarm went off two _hours_ before he normally got up. It lasted long enough to wake up Eggsy, who groaned a protest and put his pillow over his head. Harry’d had him sleep in the middle and now he understood why. He moved closer to Merlin, stealing part of his pillow so he could still use his own to cover his head.

Harry was quiet as he moved around the bedroom. He knew the layout of his house well enough to be able to move about in any room without the lights on. The only light he _did_ turn on was inside his walk-in closet. He took out a garment bag and a shoebox. He laid the bag across Eggsy’s chest of drawers and left the shoe box beside it.

Inside the garment bag was a suit appropriate for a black tie event. It had a rich black, single-breasted jacket, waistcoat, and trousers; a white dress shirt; a white silk pocket square; and a black satin bow tie. There was a little bag clipped to the hangar with a set of Kingsman cufflinks in it. Harry’s own was practically identical; black tie did not give much room for variance. His waistcoat was pink, however… which was not one of the approved variances.

He showered, but he didn’t get dressed just yet. He stayed in pyjamas and his bathrobe for now, although he did do his hair. There _was_ a reason he’d gotten up two hours earlier; he was well aware of the time he was more than capable of taking in the morning, and he had a number of things he wanted to double check before they left.

He woke Merlin and then went back into his walk-in to check on the things he had stashed away in there. Afterwards, he made his way downstairs to check over the bits down there. Eggsy was not the _only_ one with some nervous energy to work out. It was not, after all, every day a gentleman found himself getting married.

He started making breakfast. He wanted to dote upon Eggsy today and leave the young man with little more to do than be spoiled. He was just finishing up when Merlin came downstairs, carrying a still waking up Daisy. Harry had just gotten the breakfasts on the table when Eggsy came downstairs. He looked about as awake as Daisy.

“Coulda had Hamish wake me up earlier,” he said as he sat down. “I woulda cooked.”

“I’m aware,” Harry said. “Considering that today is ‘your day’, however, I thought I might do it.”

Eggsy grinned and ducked his head. “‘s _our_ day, innit? You know, like… the three of us.”

Merlin’s brow rose. “The _three_ of us?”

Eggsy flushed. “Well… how long’ve you an’ Harry been together?”

Merlin thought for a moment. “Twenty… four, twenty-five years.”

“Yeah… So that means, you know, you’re gonna have to put up with me, too.”

Merlin grinned a little. “So, what you mean to say is that you’re marrying the both of us?”

Eggsy flushed brighter. “I… guess, yeah, kinda.”

“Don’t tease him too much, darling,” Harry teasingly chided. “We have an _entire day_ to tease him.”

Eggsy grinned a little. Once they finished up, Eggsy went up and took his shower. He stared at the suit after. He had _never_ worn anything like this before. It wasn’t as if it was hard to tell what went where, but the strip of satin that he knew was going to be a bow tie made him nervous. What was Harry gonna say when he told him that he had no fuckin’ clue how to tie the damn thing. He’d been eyeing it for a couple minutes when he heard the bedroom door open. It was Harry after his own suit. Harry stopped just inside the door and went over to Eggsy instead.

“What’s wrong?”

“I dunno how to tie it,” he said quietly.

Harry kissed his forehead. “I can tie it for you, darling. Please don’t take this the wrong way, but I hadn’t expected you to have much experience in tying a bow tie.”

Eggsy watched Harry go into his walk in closet. How was it that he gave Harry all of these openings to be… cruel and superior and Harry just… didn’t? He hadn’t forgotten that Harry had told him, flat out, that he would never be treated like that but… he really _didn’t_ remember much about his parent’s marriage. His mum and Dean’s was… what he’d grown up in, and even though he’d told himself he’d never treat a woman like that, this was… a little different. Cos wasn’t he technically the ‘wife’ here?

He was dressed, save for the jacket, by the time Harry came back out. His breath caught at seeing the man. There was something that was somehow very different about seeing Harry in black and white (with a touch of pink), satin piping down the front of his trousers, and a bow tie instead of a necktie. Maybe it was because this wasn’t everyday. And maybe it was because Harry was, at least in part, wearing it for him.

“You look lovely,” Harry said as he went to Eggsy.

“Yeah, you’re… you’re…” Eggsy grinned a little sheepishly. “The same.”

Harry chuckled softly and smiled. He was vain about his appearance, and he knew it. It was, after all, within the purview of a gentleman to _be_ vain about his appearance. He enjoyed receiving honest compliments from those he cared about. He didn’t expect them or demand them, but he _did_ enjoy them, and Eggsy being somewhat speechless was a very lovely compliment.

He picked up the bow tie and started tying it for Eggsy. His fingers moved with little active thought, and he was not unaware of Eggsy’s green eyes watching him with that look of utter adoration. He finished, perhaps taking a bit longer than he might normally have, and smoothed down Eggsy’s collar.

Eggsy put his hands on Harry’s waist. There was something so… so _intimate_ about what Harry had just done. More so than being kissed by the man, perhaps even more than being held by Harry when he was upset. It was just… something so quietly caring, so gentle. It wasn’t _arousing_ , but it was… it was something good.

“I should… go get Daisy ready.”

Harry smiled softly. “Hamish is getting her ready.”

“Mm…” Eggsy slid his hands up Harry’s chest. “And then…?”

“And then, my dear, we leave.”

Eggsy’s brow rose. “We’re going _this_ early?”

Harry’s smile grew. “As I said, I have plans.”

They went downstairs to wait for Merlin. It was only a few minutes before he stepped into the lounge. Eggsy found himself staring, again. He’d rarely seen the man without a jumper, and Eggsy had _never_ seen him in a kilt. He’d barely taken in the rest of Merlin’s black tie ensemble; his gaze was too firmly drawn to the man’s powerful looking legs. It was hard to ignore how very _hot_ the man was.

Guilt shot through the searing heat inside of him. Because he was getting _married_. To the man’s longtime lover, yes, but what sort of husband was he going to be if he was already staring at someone who wasn’t Harry? He gave Harry a glance, wondering if it would be alright to stare at Hamish. To… to _appreciate_ him like that. Or would that be betraying his loyalty?

Before Eggsy could go much further down that train of thought, Daisy came toddling in behind Merlin. She was in a light cream coloured dress with layered tulle. There were flowers embossed on the top with a diamond rhinestone at their centers. There was a bow at her waist that was a few shades darker than the rest of the dress; the center of it also had a diamond rhinestone.

“Oh, my days,” Eggsy sighed and went over to her. He knelt down. “You’re so pretty, babe.”

She grinned at him. “‘m a princess!”

“Yes, you are.” He looked over his shoulder at Harry. “It’s beautiful.”

“I had hoped you would approve.”

Eggsy wondered how much Harry had paid for the dress, cos he really doubted Daisy would wear it more than once. What other special occasions like this would she _have_ before she outgrew it? Maybe he could convince Harry to let her wear it when she wanted to and let be her princess dress.

29

There were two other Kingsman cars already parked when they arrived at the town hall. They went up to where the venue room was, Merlin carrying Daisy so she didn’t have to deal with all the stairs. Eggsy paused as Merlin and Daisy went into the room. The others were already inside, already seated and waiting while soft piano music played.

The room was cream colored with dark oak furniture. There was a table up front with two vases of red and white roses. There were six chairs on either side of the room. Roxy was sitting next to a man that Eggsy was assuming was her father. There were two other men and two women - he thought they must be mother and daughter - and Eggsy had a moment of near panic as he realized he couldn’t remember their names. Then he realized it was fine; Harry would be introducing them anyway.

Merlin and Daisy had gone to the other side, sitting at the front. His mates were sitting behind them. Their suits weren’t nearly as nice as the ones Harry’s guests wore, and they were probably rentals. Eggsy _really_ hoped Harry’s friends would just… not comment on it. They were his mates and he’d stand up for ‘em… he just didn’t want his and Harry’s first fight to be at their fuckin’ wedding.

He followed Harry into a side room. He paid little attention during the pre-ceremony interview. He answered when he needed to, but mostly he was mentally going over what he was supposed to say, even though he knew his lines would be basically fed to him. He didn’t wanna fuck up, not in front Harry’s friends and family.

And then Harry was leading him back to the venue room’s entrance. The doors opened and Eggsy could hear the music again. It was a piano and cello song this time. It was soft and slow, emotional but not somber. He couldn’t remember what the title had been; he’d let Harry choose the music. Their guests were standing, watching them expectantly.

“Eggsy,” Harry prompted softly.

It was enough to snap him out of his… his… _Fuck_ , he wasn’t _freezing_ , was he? He, somewhat numbly, put his hand on Harry’s arm and they started moving. Somehow, it seemed to both take no time and take forever for them to get to the seats in front of the Registrar’s table. Eggsy barely heard the Registrar as he began speaking. He did, however, loudly and clearly hear Daisy cry ‘E’sy! E’sy!’ followed by Merlin quietly hushing her. He heard a zipper and knew Merlin was getting out something to keep her distracted. 

“Please stand.”

Eggsy and Harry stood. Eggsy’s mind was reeling because it was about to be _really real_. Not just something he’d posted online. Not just something some rich, gorgeous bloke had accepted. Really, actually, truly fuckin’ _real_.

“Are you, Harry Hart, free lawfully to form a civil partnership with Gary Unwin?”

“I am.”

Eggsy just stared up at Harry. Harry had spoken in that same calm, could be commenting on anything tone of his… but there was something almost heavier to it. It was as if the tone belied Harry’s own nervous feelings. But… Harry? _Nervous_? Eggsy wasn’t quite sure that Harry was personally acquainted with the feeling.

“Then please say the following words after me: I, Harry Hart, take you, Gary Unwin, to be my civil partner under law.”

“I, Harry Hart, take you, Gary Unwin, to be my civil partner under law.”

Eggsy watched Harry’s face as he spoke, and his eyes. He was looking for that flicker of guilt that he’d seen every so often. He didn’t see it now, and he wondered if it was because Harry actually _wasn’t_ feeling guilty about it… or if the guilt was being overridden by his sense of duty and honor.

“Are you, Gary Unwin, free lawfully to form a civil partnership with Harry Hart?”

And now it was his turn. “Yeah.” He closed his eyes and grimaced. “I mean, I am.”

He offered Harry an apologetic look. Harry shook his head; it was a very subtle movement but enough for Eggsy to see it. Eggsy grinned up at him, feeling better about fucking up.

“Then please say the following words after me: I, Gary Unwin, take you, Harry Hart, to be my civil partner under law.”

Eggsy’s grin grew, although there was a nervous edge to it. He had to remind himself that Harry had promised to never treat him the way Dean had treated his mother. He took a breath, trying to force himself steady. “I, Gary Unwin, take you, Harry Hart, to be my civil partner under law.”

Harry took Eggsy’s ring out of his suit jacket’s inner pocket. It was a platinum ring and the design made it look like five smaller bands. The outer two were polished and shiny; the center was matte; the last two were set with diamonds all around the band. Eggsy felt the unfamiliar weight of it as Harry slipped it on his finger.

“I give you this ring as a reminder of our agreement and a sign of the promises I have made to you.”

He would have sworn he’d heard something pointed in Harry’s voice. And it was something he could see in Harry’s eyes; Harry meant _all_ of the promises. The promise to never hurt him, to always take care of him and Daisy. It made him melt a bit, and it made him almost forget that he had a part to do, as well.

He took out Harry’s ring. It was similar to his own in design, but the center band was set with diamonds and the matte bands were to either side of it. He slid it onto Harry’s finger; onto the hand he would never feel the back of; onto the hand that would never become a fist.

“I give you this ring as a reminder of our agreement and a sign of the promises I have made to you.”

He thought about adding something more; something about being willing to abide by even that part Harry had taken out, but they’d had to have their words approved before the wedding. He wasn’t sure if it would cause much of a problem, or be an embarrassment for Harry. And besides, he could always make it clear once they were having their wedding night.

He barely heard the Registrar announcing that they were now legally married. He sat when Harry did, his body almost numb… save for where the ring was on his finger. He signed where he was told to, but he didn’t hear a single word that was said. He felt a hand on his and looked over at Harry. His… his _husband_ was watching him with calm concern.

“Alright?” Harry asked him.

He nodded. “Alright.”

They stood and turned to walk back out, but they’d barely gotten to the front row of chairs when Eggsy heard Jamal yell out.

“Oi, kiss yer husband, guv.”

Eggsy blushed, brightly, fully expecting something snide to come from the other side of the room. Or for Harry to be annoyed by it, cos he shoulda told them not to act like… well… like _that_. He knew he ought to say something to Harry. Maybe not an apology, but something bordering on it. All thoughts of that evaporated, however, as he felt himself being bent back over Harry’s arm. And then Harry _was_ kissing him. It wasn’t as passionate as that one kiss, but it certainly wasn’t a quick and chaste thing either. He wrapped his arms around Harry’s neck, letting himself melt into it.

30

Their next stop was a photography studio. Eggsy had expected it to be only a few shots; a group shot, one of him and Harry, and one of each of them with their guests. And those were in there, certainly. But there were also a few shots of just him and his mates; one of those included Jamal and Liam kissing his cheeks just as the photographer took the picture. It had surprised a laugh out of him and, for as ridiculous as it was gonna look, he already knew it was gonna be his favorite picture of them ever.

And there were a couple different shots of just him and Daisy. There was one where he was holding her and he’d gotten her giggling. There was another of him sitting with her in his lap. She hadn’t wanted to sit still for it, so what had been a serious picture had turned into another with him laughing. The last with just her had been with her standing on a pedestal with him standing just behind her. That one managed to be a little serious.

Harry had his own set of shots. There were some with Harry, the Mortons, and Merlin; just Harry and the young woman; Harry and his other two male guests; and Harry with the two of them and the two women. Eggsy watched those shots in wonder. They kept saying things, too low for him to hear, and they had Harry laughing in a way that… was so open and relaxed. 

The last set had been several variations of Eggsy and Harry’s pictures: one with them holding hands and looking at each other; one with them kissing; one with Eggsy mostly turned toward Harry, his left hand on Harry’s chest so the camera could see his wedding ring; and one with Harry holding him from behind.

And then it was clear to Eggsy that they were done. Harry had gone over to the photographer and was discussing when the pictures would be ready. Eggsy bit his lip, debating for a moment before speaking.

“Hey, um… could we get two more shots? Would that be alright?”

Harry exchanged a glance with the photographer before answering. “Of course, darling. What did you have in mind?”

“Well… you an’ me…”

Harry nodded and went back over to the backdrop. And then he watched Eggsy go over to Merlin, take him by the hand (almost shyly), and bring him over. Eggsy looked over at Harry, searching his dark eyes for some sign that he wasn’t alright with this idea. But Harry just held his hand out to Eggsy. They had a shot of the three of them, with Eggsy and Merlin to either side of Harry, and then one with the three of them and Daisy.

Merlin didn’t say anything about it until they were on their way out. “You know you didn’t have to do that, right?”

Eggsy nodded. “Yeah… but you’re part of this, too.” He shrugged. “You know. He loves you an’ the two of you are together. So… maybe I didn’t _have_ to, but it wouldn’t-a really been right if I hadn’t.” He was quiet for a moment. “An’ I wanted to.”

“I appreciate it, lad.”

Eggsy grinned suddenly, mischievously. “‘sides, when’m I gonna get a picture of you in a skirt again.”

Merlin’s brow rose. “Kilt, thank you.” He paused and then added. “But a skirt nonetheless.”

Eggsy’s grin grew. “At least you’ve got the legs for it.”

It was Merlin’s turn to grin. “Harry’s legs are much better for skirts.”

Eggsy scoffed. “Like that’d ever happen.”

Merlin chuckled. “He’s been in full drag before,” he said as he walked away.

Eggsy stared after him and then ran after him. “You can’t just say shit like that and not tell me more!”

Merlin smirked at him and got into the car he and Daisy had come in.

“You fuck,” Eggsy muttered and went back to his and Harry’s car. He’d just get Hamish alone later tonight and get it out of him. Or he’d get it out of him at lunch, if he could manage to get him alone. Cos he knew that was the next stop. Lunch at some fancy fuckin’ restaurant, though they probably call it ‘ _luncheon_ ’ there.

31

It was, indeed, a fancy fuckin’ restaurant, and they _did_ call it a luncheon. Eggsy enjoyed the food and drink, but what he liked more was the way the mixed group just sort of naturally fell into conversation. Harry’s friends were different than Eggsy had expected. They didn’t act superior or judgy, but they teased Harry and joked around with the others. Eggsy knew they might not be exactly the way Harry was and they might be arses about his mates when they were in their own company. But if that was the case, they were keepin’ it to themselves and that was alright.

They’d been at the restaurant for almost two hours when Harry left the table for a bit. They had all been done eating for quite some time, but a few of them were still drinking a bit. Mostly they were just talking and joking around. Harry was only gone for a couple minutes, and he addressed the table when he returned.

“Please feel free to stay as long as you like. If you’d like to order something more, feel free to do so; they have taken my card number and have my authorization to add whatever else any of you need.” He smiled a bit mischievously at Eggsy. “My young husband and I are needed elsewhere.”

Eggsy frowned a little. “We _are_?”

“Yes,” Harry said with clearly no plan to elaborate. “We both appreciate all of you coming out to celebrate this with us. Darling?”

He held his hand out to Eggsy. Eggsy took it and stood. A quick glance at the table told him they all knew what Harry was planning, including his mates. Part of him wanted to playfully sulk (and maybe pout a little) at being kept out of the loop, but most of him was curious cos he hadn’t heard a single word about whatever Harry had planned. And when had a surprise from Harry ever been a bad thing?

He gave Daisy a kiss and Harry took him out to the car; it was waiting at the curb. He and Harry got inside and clearly Dave knew what Harry had planned, as he started driving without a word. They drove for some time and Eggsy kept looking out the window to try and figure out _where_ they were headed. Urban soon gave way to suburban and then to more rural areas. Had he ever even been out this way? Certainly not after his mum and Dean got married.

It wasn’t long after that the car pulled into a long driveway. The lawn - fuck, did they even _call_ it that when it was huge? - was immaculate and Eggsy breathed a sigh at seeing the mansion at the end of the drive.

“Holy shit, Harry. You got royal connections or somethin’?”

Harry chuckled. “This is Kingsman Headquarters.”

Eggsy’s jaw dropped. “All _that_ for a _tailor shop_?”

Harry nodded. “We have several branches around the world, and you might be surprised by our… mmm, overhead.”

Eggsy snickered. He thought about making a crack about Harry’s whole spy thing, but… that was _their_ joke. It was a private thing between them, and he didn’t want to share it, even if it was only Dave. But it made him think of the stuff Harry _had_ told him about his work. How sometimes orders went sideways and he had to try and fix it from his office. Or sometimes Hamish was dealing with a particularly tetchy customer and sometimes had to stay hours after closing to deal with it. Or how sometimes he had to send a second employee to an international supplier because they were just _not_ getting on with the first.

“So why’re we at your job on our wedding day?”

Harry just smiled without answering him.

The car pulled up to a stop and they were both let out. Harry exchanged a look with the driver.

“Everything is set, sir.”

“Wonderful.” He looked at Eggsy. “Follow me.”

He followed Harry, unsure what in _fuck_ Harry had planned for them at Kingsman’s Headquarters. As they went around to the back of the mansion, Eggsy stopped in his tracks. Because there was a fuckin’ _jet_ sitting on the grass.

“The fuck, Harry…?” His eyes widened and a grin spread across his face. “Are we… like… actually going on a honeymoon?”

Harry smiled at him. “That we are.”

“But… I ain’t packed.”

Harry laughed softly. “Yes, you are, and our luggage is already on board.”

Eggsy jogged to catch up to Harry. “So where’re we goin’?”

“You’ll find out.”

32

Eggsy wanted to roam about the cabin and explore _everything_. There’d been two men in the cockpit going over their final preparations. There were only three rows of seats; a single column on one side and a double on the other side. Shortly after that was a wall, with a small bar inset into it, cutting them off from the rest of the jet.

“Back there is the lav and a bed,” Harry told him.

“A _bed_?”

Harry smiled a little. “Yes. We don’t often have need of it, but we’ll be flying for almost an entire day, so the pilots need a place to get some actual rest.”

“Where, um, do _we_ sleep?”

Harry motioned to the seats. “Their arms can be lowered and then the seats can be pushed together. Once reclined fully, they make for a decent bed. Not one I would recommend sleeping on nightly, but decent enough for _a_ night.”

They took a pair of seats and Eggsy watched out the window. He’d never… actually been on a plane before. There’d been no real need and, well, wasn’t like Dean was gonna shell out that kinda money. He wasn’t really sure _how_ they were taking off when it wasn’t nothin’ but grass around them, but then the jet took off. Vertically.

“I didn’t know that was even possible…”

Harry smiled vaguely. “It isn’t on the market just yet.”

Eggsy looked at him and grinned. “Perk of bein’ posh?”

“Something like that, yes.”

“So are the pilots Kingsman employees?”

Harry nodded. “Yes.”

Eggsy nodded and took a slow breath. He couldn’t act like an overexcited child on his first plane ride, even if that was how he felt. He needed to be calm and collected so he didn’t embarrass Harry.

Harry’s brow rose. “Are you alright?”

He nodded. “Yeah, ‘course.”

“The jet _is_ perfectly safe. It’s put through more thorough maintenance than commercial airplanes.”

Eggsy shook his head. “Ain’t that.” He leaned close to Harry and lowered his voice. “They’re your _employees_.”

Harry smiled softly and stroked Eggsy’s cheek. “They won’t think badly of you _or_ me for your excitement.”

Eggsy grinned a little. “Ain’t never been on one before,” he said sheepishly.

Harry leaned close and kissed his temple. “Then, by all means, be _excited_.”

Eggsy grinned and went back to watching out the window, watching the miniature world below them. He thought it’d be fuckin’ amazing to watch it come rushing toward him. Maybe Harry’d let him try skydiving sometime. He didn’t expect Harry would join him, of course. Maybe he could convince Rox to go with him.

33

They’d been flying for a while when Harry excused himself and went into the back. He came back out in what he considered day wear. Eggsy took that as permission to get out of his suit and went into the back. There was an empty garment back on a hook next to the lav, and a set of his clothes on the hook next to it. _Fuck_ , he was getting spoiled.

He changed and went back out to Harry, and slid into his seat with a sigh. “Suit felt good an’ all, but it’s nice to be out of it.” He eyed Harry. “S’ppose you’d like me to wear ‘em on the regular, yeah?”

“While I won’t deny that I _would_ like to see you in one at times, I have no problems with what you wear. I’m not going to force you to be someone you aren’t, Eggsy.” He smiled gently. “If you find you like them, I will have more of them made for you, but _only_ if you want them.”

Eggsy watched Harry for a moment. “What if… I, well… I _liked_ how the suit felt, all tailored an’ shit.”

Harry laughed softly. “We can certainly have your clothing altered when we get back.”

“Thank you,” Eggsy beamed at him. “You know, ain’t that I didn’t like the suit. I _did_ like it. I just… they ain’t me, you know?”

Harry stroked Eggsy’s cheek with the back of his hand. “I know, darling. Consider: I will be spending more on Daisy’s tuition than I will on a suit for you.”

Eggsy laughed. “Yeah, but… Daisy c’n use her education the rest of her life. A suit…”

Harry gave him a look that was positively smug. “A bespoke suit can last thirty years if taken care of, and that’s wearing it once a week.”

Eggsy gaped at him. Thirty _years_? He’d figured five, maybe ten, but not _thirty fuckin’ years_. “Oh.”

Harry started laughing. The look on Eggsy’s face was positively priceless. He’d gone from just gaping to fully jaw-dropped. It was clear he was trying to fully process the idea of an outfit that could last that long. And it was… entrancing. Without even thinking, he put his hand on Eggsy’s cheek and kissed him. 

Eggsy sighed into it. He wanted Harry to kiss him like he had a couple weeks ago; that long, slow mouth fucking. But he knew Harry wouldn’t do that right now, and he wasn’t about to press him into it. Not when they didn’t have a private space and they were around Harry’s employees. He pulled back from it before he could forget himself and try to push the kiss deeper.

Harry watched him for a moment. “Are you alright?”

Eggsy grinned a little sheepishly. “Well… I don’t never wanna embarrass you.”

Harry smiled slowly. “That’s sweet of you, darling, but you are _not_ an embarrassment.”

“Yeah, but ain’t you posh types like… really against PDAs?”

“Well, I can’t speak for _all_ of us, but… I am not.” He tipped his head slightly. “Within reason, anyway.”

“Well… then will you do somethin’ with me? It’s, you know, somethin’ people do when they get married.”

Harry’s brow rose. “I know you were looking forward to our wedding night, but that is _well_ outside of what I’m willing to do in public.”

Eggsy’s eyes widened and then he laughed. “No! Ain’t what I meant. I, you know, you do the whole… dance thing. I just dunno how to do the fancy sorta shit.”

Harry’s eyes widened momentarily and he flushed ever so lightly. “Oh. I… apologize. It’s just that…”

Eggsy grinned. “That I tried to get you to fuck me the first night and you said you wanted to save it for tonight, but we on a jet?”

Harry stammered for a moment and then nodded. “Yes, that is… it exactly. I shouldn’t have assumed you would immediately bring that up.”

“I wasn’t gonna. Promise.” He stood up and took Harry’s hand. “Come show me how, yeah?”

Harry smiled and stood up. They went to the back of their part of the cabin, and Harry took out his mobile. He went through his music until he found an appropriate song and set it to repeat before setting the mobile down on the bar.

“Since I will be the one leading,” Harry said as he took Eggsy’s hands; he held one and put the other on his shoulder. He put his free hand on Eggsy’s waist. “Now, a simple box step… You’ll step back with your right foot, to the side with your left, close right foot to left. Then we repeat, except you’ll move forward with your left foot, to the side with your right, and close.”

“Alright,” Eggsy nodded. “C’n I watch your feet until I get it?”

Harry smiled. “Of course, darling… and one, two, three…”

Harry counted off the steps as they moved. Eggsy watched their feet for the first few sets and then looked up at Harry. Harry took him through the simple step a few more times before he started leading Eggsy in small movements. It wasn’t long before they were moving around their part of the cabin. It was amazing to Harry how quickly Eggsy learned his body language; how easily Eggsy predicted his movements. He’d been able to move in concert like this with a number of agents in his time as Galahad, but it had never been so nearly instantaneous as this.

“So… this allowed?” Eggsy asked with a grin as he slid his hand up Harry’s shoulder and slipped his arm around his neck so he could press up tight against Harry.

Harry let his hand slip from Eggsy’s waist to the small of his back. “As we are not in a ballroom, yes.”

Eggsy hummed a laugh. “I don’t think they’d let me _into_ a ballroom dressed like this.”

“Likely not,” Harry agreed. “If you’re ever interested, there _are_ places we can go dancing.”

Eggsy grinned. “Sure, but you gotta go clubbin’ with me sometime.”

Harry’s brow rose. “I think I would stand out a bit in a nightclub.”

Eggsy’s grin widened. “So we go shoppin’ a couple days before and I’ll get you somethin’ to wear.”

Harry considered for a moment before nodding. “Fair _is_ fair, after all.”

“Really?”

Harry nodded again. “Really.”

Eggsy grinned up at him. He wouldn't try and get Harry to wear anything embarrassing, but jeans and a button down? He thought he could get Harry into that. 


	6. Chapter 6

34

“Sir? We’ll be landing in a few hours.”

Eggsy muttered and pulled the blanket over his head. Sleeping in an airplane seat, even one as fuckin’ nice as this one, was not a comfortable thing. Even if he couldn’t actually remember falling asleep. He and Harry had gotten a few drinks and settled in… and then Harry had been holding him… and now it was whatever-the-fuck time and his back hurt from sleeping in the fuckin’ seat.

He heard Harry chuckle and threw his pillow in that direction. “Timezit?”

“It is 6:27 P.M.”

“Bullshit,” Eggsy muttered and pulled the blanket off of his head. A look out the window showed him that the sun was still up, but it would be gone before too long… which… probably made it just about 6:30.

Harry watched him staring at the window, his sleep-muddled brain not quite puzzling out how it was 6:30. “It’s 11:27 in the morning in London.”

Eggsy looked over at him and the shit-eating grin Harry was barely attempting to hide and chucked the second pillow at him. He wasn’t sure how he’d slept so long. He glanced down at the reclined seat and rolled his eyes. He’d slept so long cos he’d slept like shit. But… maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing. It’d be after 8 by the time they landed. He could get a shower, fall into bed, and just sleep.

“How the fuck are you so put together?” Eggsy asked as he got up.

“Years of practice,” Harry smirked.

“All that international tailorin’ shit, yeah?”

“That, exactly,” he said with a nod. “I left a bag of toiletries in the lavatory for you. Just leave everything in there when you’re finished, darling.”

“Fuckin’ prince, you are,” Eggsy sighed, leaning down to kiss Harry on his way by.

He went back to the lav. Harry hadn’t just left him a bag of toiletries; he’d left a change of clothes as well. Eggsy smiled to himself and shook his head. The man was _always_ taking care of him. 

He freshened up and got dressed. Everything went back in the bag and he straightened up the lav. Not that there was much to do in the way of straightening it, but it was gonna be Harry’s employees cleaning the jet up. He didn’t want there to be a whole lot for them to do; it’d look better on Harry that way.

He went back out and sat with Harry. They were over the ocean and that was pretty much all he could see. He frowned a little. “So… we goin’ to an island?”

Harry attempted to keep from grinning. “Of a sort, yes.”

Eggsy looked at him and shook his head. “What’s that mean?”

“Well, we’re going decidedly south-west, on a flight that is twenty-three hours in total, to an island that isn’t always called one.”

Eggsy frowned a little, thinking all of that over. A twenty-three hour flight meant that it was the shorter option, and they’d gone west. That… sorta cut out Hawaii, cos wouldn’t they have gone _over_ the US instead of the other way?

He shook his head. “What, we goin’ to Australia?”

Harry leaned over and kissed him gently. “Exactly that, darling; to one of the Whitsunday Islands.”

Eggsy’s eyes lit up and he grinned. “Really?”

Harry nodded. “Really and truly. We’ll be spending two weeks, the vast majority of which is unplanned.”

“Cos we’re not gonna be leavin’ the room much?” Eggsy saw Harry’s lips thin slightly and his posture straighten. “Hey,” he said softly. “I was only teasin’ you, Harry; I’m sorry.”

That was really all the confirmation he needed that he and his husband were never actually going to have sex. Harry was still clearly uncomfortable with the idea. It made him a little sad, but he got it. And wasn’t like he’d die from not havin’ sex.

“It’s alright,” Harry said after a moment. “The actual reason was if you found something you wanted to try or to do, we could.”

He grinned. “Gonna leave it all in my hands, huh?”

“I’ve been abroad before, and I’ve likely done the activities you might show interest in.”

“Well… guess I gotta find that one thing you ain’t done then.”

35

A porter met them at the door. He and the cab driver loaded the luggage and garment bags onto the trolly. Eggsy, meanwhile, was _staring_ ; at the huge fountain that could _almost_ be a pool; at the balconies high above them that gave the building the illusion of being curved a bit; at the floor-to-ceiling windows everywhere. _Fuck_ , how much was Harry _spending_ for this little honeymoon of theirs?

“Darling?”

Harry’s voice pulled him out of his thoughts, and his _awe_. He grinned and followed Harry inside. It was just as amazing _inside_. The lobby was _huge_ and had four check-in desks. It was done all in tans and bronze, save for the attached seating area. That was heavily accented with red. Eggsy was almost afraid to _breathe_ , as if the staff would realize he was a common type and toss him out on his arse.

Harry got them checked in and the porter led them to the lift. They went up to the top floor and were let into a room. Eggsy tried to keep his face neutral, but it was a _hard_ thing. He barely heard the porter tell them to just leave the luggage trolly outside the door once they had unpacked, but he _did_ hear the door shut.

“Fuck me,” he hissed. “My flat could fit in here.”

There was a loo across from the entry way and a lounge with an attached dining area. There was an arm chair and a sectional; they could easily have sat six people in the lounge. The dining area was smaller, more intimate. It had a round table with two chairs on one side and a semicircle dining bench on the other. They’d still be able to fit six people in the area. 

He wandered into the bedroom, which was easily as large as the lounge area. There was a king size bed with a pair of nightstands, a bedroom bench, a chest of drawers and wardrobe, and a rectangular table with two chairs. He’d clearly been wrong about his flat fitting in the suite; he could have fit his flat twice over.

He crossed the bedroom to the balcony and went outside. It was a private balcony with a double patio chaise lounge on one side and a pair of singles on the other. He looked up at the night sky, wondering what direction they were facing. They’d have to sit outside one night or morning and watch the sun.

He went back inside to check out the en suite. He groaned softly looking at it; toilet, double sink, with a shower _and_ a bath. The bath was nestled into the corner of the room. It was a Jacuzzi bath made for two. He was _going_ to be using the fuck out of that, more than likely without Harry.

He went back out to Harry, who hadn’t really moved far from the door. “I don’t think I even wanna know how much you’re shellin’ out for this.”

Harry chuckled. “Likely not, but it _is_ your honeymoon.”

“ _Our_ ,” he corrected.

“Yes, our,” Harry agreed. “Did you want to go out for supper or have something brought up?”

“Brought up? I mean, ain’t done much the last day, but…”

“Getting married and then spending an entire day on a jet _is_ rather exhausting.”

“Yeah,” Eggsy nodded. “An’ if we order in, I can get a shower while we wait.”

Harry went over and picked up the room service menu. He offered Eggsy a teasing smile. “Shall I order for us both and save you the horrors of seeing the room service prices?”

Eggsy cringed dramatically. “Please do, I don’t think my poor heart can take it.”

He showered, dried off with a towel as soft as a fuckin’ _cloud_ , and then wrapped up in one of the bathrobes they’d been left. It was nice like the one Harry had, except it was pure white instead of red. He made sure it was well shut and the knot secure before going out into the lounge.

Their food had already come; it looked and smelled heavenly. Harry had set it out on the coffee table rather than in the dining area. Eggsy shot him a curious look. They’d never eaten in the lounge at home.

“I thought we might watch a movie,” Harry said.

Eggsy settled onto the sectional beside Harry. “So what’re we watchin’?”

Harry smiled a little and had the movie start. Eggsy grinned and started laughing. It was a Bond movie. It was one of the newer ones; _A View to a Kill_ starring Daniel Craig. Eggsy loved what had become their inside joke about Harry being a spy.

“Didja ever work with MI6?” Eggsy asked about an hour into the movie. 

“Despite having a now retired contact there, no. I have, however, worked with MI5,” Harry said. “Although, these days, it’s far easier to just have Hamish hack into whatever we need.”

Eggsy laughed. “Okay, so what’s somethin’ you worked with MI5 on?”

“I needed their resources to stop the assassination of Margaret Thatcher.”

“Not a lot of people’d thank you for _that_.”

Harry shook his head. “No one ever thanked me, Eggsy. That’s the entire point. Life goes on and the public remains unaware.”

Eggsy watched Harry with adoring eyes. He could almost believe him. Harry sounded so _serious_ , almost as if this wasn’t just a joke between the two of them. But, at the same time, it was kinda funny to think of Harry and Hamish as gentlemen spies. Especially Hamish, with his love of jumpers that was only surpassed by Harry’s love of suits.

Once the movie was over, Eggsy helped Harry unpack. He was asleep on his feet and changed once they were done before falling into the bed. The last thing he heard before falling asleep was Harry having a very quiet conversation. Eggsy figured he was calling the tailor shop - since it had to be like late morning or early afternoon in London - and didn’t really think about it more than that.

36

Harry had taken them to an early supper at one of the hotel’s restaurants. They’d both been in suits for it. He’d gotten them a bottle of wine and Eggsy had been pleasantly buzzed by the end of the meal. Harry suggested a walk on the beach after and they’d gone back to their suite to change. Eggsy had gotten into a pair of bright orange board shorts and an unbuttoned white shirt. And then Harry finally came out of the bathroom and Eggsy sighed a breath.

He’d taken the time to wash the product out of his hair and dry it; it was in its natural softly curled state. He was wearing a pair of off-white linen trousers and a white cubavera shirt. It had two stripes of white embroidery down the front of it, and… _and_ the top few buttons were undone. Harry had no undershirt on and Eggsy could see just a bit of chest hair. It was the most undressed he’d ever seen Harry; it was somehow _erotic_ and made him want to see _more_.

Harry smiled, clearly biting back a grin. Eggsy realized Harry _had_ to know the effect he was having on him. Had it been _intentional_ on Harry’s part? Was Harry just… _trying_ to make him die slowly, one small glimpse and touch at a time? Or was Harry trying to get more comfortable about being more sexual with his husband?

They went downstairs and outside. The pool had lockers for each room and Harry unlocked theirs. Eggsy gave him a curious look until Harry started taking off his shoes. He grinned and took his own off. Once they were safely stowed away, Harry and Eggsy made their way past the pools and cabanas and down to the white sand beach. 

The sands burned Eggsy’s feet and he _knew_ Harry’s feet had to be burning, too, but the older man was apparently too dignified to run down to the shore with the cooler wet sand. Eggsy ran ahead of him, stopping only when he was to his ankles in the water. The breaking waves rolled across his calves as they died out and he tipped his head back.

It was only a few moments before he felt Harry’s hands on his shoulders. He covered one of Harry’s hands with his own and leaned against him a bit. “S’lot different than the shores in England.”

Harry chuckled softly. “Yes, it is,” he said as he slid his free hand down Eggsy’s arm and slipped it around his waist. “Do you go often?”

Eggsy shook his head. “I remember goin’ a couple times when dad was home. I think it was sorta… ‘daddy’s on leave, let’s go on a day trip’ thing. I kinda remember liking it. Wasn’t hot like this, but… it was nice, spending that time with dad.”

“It sounds it,” Harry said softly.

Eggsy thought he could hear guilt in Harry’s voice. “So we wanna go up the beach or down?”

“Your choice.”

Eggsy pulled away from him and kept hold of his hand. He started heading along the shore, Harry walking beside him. It didn’t take long, walking along the damp white sand, before they left the area the hotel owned. The beach narrowed as the island’s rainforests swelled out to meet them. The sounds of the wildlife - mostly birds really - was relaxing and it was quite some time before Eggsy looked back and realized how far they’d gone.

“Ain’t it like a Thing that you don’t go outside of touristy areas?”

Harry chuckled. “Usually, yes. I’ll keep you safe.”

Eggsy grinned. “Gonna use all that spy training?”

“Yes.”

“What if they got a gun?”

Harry smiled slowly. “All of my clothing is made through Kingsman, and all agent clothing is made to be bulletproof.”

Eggsy laughed, although it was almost a giggle. “Bulletproof, huh? What ‘bout my suits?”

“No, those are made from standard cloth, although if you feel you need one that is, we can have one made.”

They started back toward the hotel. Eggsy bit his lip and then touched the small bit of chest Harry had left bare. He let his fingers slip under Harry’s shirt just a bit, feeling the older man’s pecs. He could feel the hard muscle and wondered just how well muscled the rest of him was.

“Wouldn’t be safe here…”

“True,” Harry said, making no move to stop Eggsy _or_ encourage him. “I doubt I’m likely to be shot here, and even if I am, they would have to be a decent shot. The average mugger… really is not.”

Eggsy pulled his hand away from Harry’s chest. He felt hot all over. He was fuckin’ hot from just barely touching Harry’s chest. He felt fuckin’ shakey from it, like the way he’d felt the first time he’d felt up a bird. He’d been like thirteen at the time, and it had been a New and Forbidden thing; a Mysterious thing. Part of _that_ had been the fear of getting caught. This… this was something different entirely, cos who was gonna tell him that he couldn’t touch his own husband?

“Do you, um…” _Fuck_ , how the hell was Harry having this effect on him? “Do you know that from experience?”

“The times someone has attempted to mug me have been with knives.”

“Did you kick their arses?”

Harry nodded. “Absolutely. Kingsman has a very high standard of training, especially when it comes to combat.”

Eggsy grinned. “Better than the Marines?”

“I believe we have a few things to offer a Marine,” Harry said with a little smile. “One would make an excellent Kingsman, however.”

Eggsy said nothing for a few moments and then pressed on. “You was a Marine, right?”

Harry shook his head. “No, I was never in the service.”

Eggsy nodded and let it drop. Harry clearly wasn’t ready to talk about this, about how Harry had known his dad. And that was fine; they’d get to it when Harry _was_ ready. Once it was all out in the open, Harry wouldn’t have any reason to feel guilty about their arrangement.

37

They got back to the suite a little before sunset and Harry led Eggsy out to the balcony. There was a small wheeled table with two glasses and a bottle of wine chilling beside the double patio chaise. The chaise had been set so both sides were reclined.

Eggsy grinned at him and curled up on one side of the chaise. Harry opened the bottle of wine and filled both glasses. It was a dark red color, and that was about all Eggsy knew about it. He knew Harry knew far more about things like this, and he knew he’d end up liking it.

Harry handed Eggsy a glass and sat beside him. Eggsy eyed him for a moment and then pressed up against him. He put his free hand on Harry’s shoulder and set his other hand on Harry’s abdomen.

“This okay?”

“Yes, this is fine.”

Eggsy shifted a little, laying his head on his hand and Harry’s shoulder. He had to shift just a bit to drink, but not much. Their seats were in a perfect position. He stayed against Harry as they watched the sun go down and the stars come out. Harry kept their glasses full and Eggsy considered - briefly - teasing Harry about trying to get him drunk; he knew it would just make Harry uncomfortable, so he didn’t.

“Stars’re so much brighter here,” Eggsy said softly.

“Well, there isn’t a great deal on this island, so there’s less light pollution to block them out.”

Eggsy hummed softly. “They clear like this at that mansion?”

“Clear _er_ , but not often like this, no. There are too many overcast nights for them to be like this.”

“Yeah,” he said. “Let’s just move here.”

“The commute would be less than ideal.”

Eggsy laughed softly. “Kingsman ain’t got an office here?”

“No, we do not. There _is_ an allied office here, but no actual Kingsman office yet.”

“Ever worked with them?”

Harry shook his head. “Not personally, no.” He thought for a second. “I think Bors may have been the last one to.”

“What happened?”

Harry chuckled. “Well, his specialty is explosives. I don’t remember the specifics of his mission, but it _was_ successful.”

Eggsy was quiet for a moment. “So do you _all_ have specialties?”

“Of course.”

“What’s yours?”

Harry didn’t answer for a moment. “As Arthur, I no longer go on missions.”

Eggsy sat up with a grin. “What was it?”

“Honeypot missions,” Harry said. “Seduction.”

Eggsy’s brow rose. That was… an interesting thing to add to the story. He guessed that meant Harry had been something of a player in his younger years. But that also kinda… explained how Harry could just… exist and be erotic. Fuck, how many people had he been with? How _amazing_ of a fuck must the man be? He groaned internally; he was never going to know.

“That how you an’ Hamish got together?”

Harry shook his head. “No, he joined Kingsman just a few years after I did. We… got together not long after that.”

“So… he was alright with that?”

Merlin’s words about Eggsy reoccurred to him. ‘ _It will hardly be the first thing I’ve done that I disliked but knew was right._ ’ He knew Merlin had never liked those missions nor being his handler for them. But they had always been capable of separating Harry and Hamish from Galahad and Merlin. Even… well… even _if_ Merlin had rarely gone by his given name.

“He understood,” Harry said. “We’ve both had to do things we haven’t exactly enjoyed for missions.”

“Yeah, like what?”

Harry said nothing for a few moments. He should _not_ have gone down this path with Eggsy, because eventually he _would_ have to tell Eggsy the truth. And then Eggsy would realize that _this_ was true. How would his young husband take that? And he had become… rather attached to the young man.

He drained his glass before answering. “I’ve had to kill quite a number of people, to the point that it’s become second nature and an emotionless thing.”

Eggsy just stared at him for a moment. Their little joke had just taken a _very_ dark twist, and that wasn’t the worst part of it. The worst part was how Harry was acting about it. As if he wasn’t making it up. As if he really _had_ killed a lot of people. As if he really could kill someone without a thought or guilt.

And then it hit him. Harry must have been on active duty during some war or other. He woulda been 18 in 1980 and he’d joined Kingsman five years later; _something_ had to have been going on at the time. He reached across Harry and put his glass on the table and then took Harry’s hand. He lifted it and kissed Harry’s palm. 

“It was in the line of duty, Harry,” he said softly. “You did what you had to, nothing more.”

Harry maneuvered his hand out of Eggsy’s grasp and cupped his cheek. For all the young man believed his stories about being a spy were a joke, Eggsy had taken that part seriously and had attributed it to a military career he didn’t have. Would it change his mind when he learned it was not military service?

Harry set his glass beside Eggsy’s own and pulled the young man close. Eggsy lay with his chest on Harry’s and kissed him. His mouth opened against Harry’s own, and Harry didn’t pull away. Instead his hands slid up Eggsy’s back, pulling him ever tighter against himself. It wasn’t as passionate as he’d once kissed Eggsy; it was somewhat reserved and restrained. Still, there was no longer any denying that he was falling in love with Eggsy. Or… perhaps _had_.

38

They’d gone up to the club for tea and they’d sat out on the balcony for it. It had been really lovely up there and really posh, but what in the hotel _wasn’t_? The chairs had been made of cherry wood and were firmly and comfortably padded. The tables had two centerpieces: one a little vase of flowers, the other a candle. The table tops looked like marble and Eggsy would have bet anything they _were_ marble.

Harry had been taking him to a different spot in the hotel every day for tea. This had been, by far, Eggsy’s favorite spot. The club was mostly empty; Eggsy wasn’t certain if it was just many of the guests not wanting to have their tea up there or just having not paid the fee - he assumed there was one anyway - for access.

The railing of the balcony was made of glass, and he’d been able to sit by it and watch the seemingly endless ocean. He’d been teasing Harry when he’d said they should just move here, but… he could really get used to being able to sit and watch the ocean while he had tea. And he would have been content to sit up there for a bit longer had Harry not said three little words:

“Fancy a swim?”

“Absolutely!”

They went back to the suite to change. Harry took his own swimsuit and one of the robes into the bathroom. Eggsy watched the door for a moment, wondering if Harry was gonna wear something like out of the 20s when blokes wore the kind that had a top as well.

He grinned to himself and got his own out. His were greyscale, with a tropical beach scene at night; the waistband and hems were black. He put them on and looked at himself in the mirror with a soft smile. Harry had gotten him swim trunks that were _just_ baggy enough to hide the fact that he hadn’t had bottom surgery. He pulled his robe on and went to the lounge to wait on Harry.

It was a few minutes before Harry came out, robe tied nicely shut and a pair of sandals in his hand. He handed them off to Eggsy, who leaned down to put them on. The robe came down to just below Harry’s knees and Eggsy checked out Harry’s legs while he put the sandals on. Fuck, his calves looked _solid_. He wanted to run his hands over them and feel _how_ solid the muscle was.

“Hamish is right,” he said grinning as he sat up. “You do have good legs for a skirt.”

Harry’s brow rose at that. “And what has Hamish been telling you?”

Eggsy shrugged. “Just that you’ve been in drag before.”

Harry laughed softly. “Yes, I have. I found it quite enjoyable, honestly.”

“Was it for a mission?” Eggsy teased.

“Yes, actually.”

Eggsy snorted a laugh. “What was the mission, hm?”

“I had to infiltrate a drag club. It was an information gathering mission and nothing very exciting.”

Eggsy got up and went over to him. “So… can I see sometime?”

Harry considered for a moment and nodded. “Alright. I warn you, it _has_ been some years since I’ve done it. I can’t guarantee the makeup will be perfect.”

“Sure it’ll be fine,” Eggsy said with a shrug. “Ain’t seen you do nothin’ poorly.”

Harry stroked his cheek. “Believe me, I _am_ as capable of mucking something up as any other person.”

“Name _one_ thing you’ve mucked up since we’ve known each other?”

Harry’s brow rose. There was most certainly an answer, but did he want to go down that path right now? He knew he should. He knew he was being an absolute coward by putting it off and putting it off. And every day made harder to tell him and harder to _not_ tell him.

“I’m sure something exists,” he said after a moment. “Shall we?”

39

Eggsy let out a soft sigh at seeing the pool area. He’d seen it from a distance when they’d gone walking on the beach, but not up close like this. It was sort of freeform in shape, with palm trees right up at the edges in points. There were two levels to the pool and the higher level flowed into the lowered level. The upper level was shallow and went right up to the poolside near the bar. The lower level was deeper and much larger. It gave the impression of a lagoon.

There were lounger chairs and umbrellas to one side and private cabanas to the other. There were a number of people sunbathing in the loungers and more people in the pool. Harry motioned for him to lead and Eggsy found them a pair of loungers.

“Would you like me to get us some drinks?”

Eggsy looked out at the pool. There were swimmers - mainly in the upper level - who had drinks in hand, or floating on inflatable drink coasters. He did see a couple in the lower level who had them. He debated for a moment, wondering if they were just… breaking some protocol or if it really was alright.

Harry smiled. “You’re allowed to have them in the lower level.”

Eggsy grinned, shrugged, and tossed his robe on the lounger. “Get me somethin’... I dunno.”

Harry chuckled. “I’m sure I can find something you’ll enjoy.”

Eggsy nodded and went down to one curve where there were no loungers. He dove in and swam through the cool water. It had been a long time since he’d been able to go for a swim. The last time might have been when he was still in school. It was nice… and refreshing in a way he hadn’t remembered it being. Maybe he and Harry could start going to one of the pools in London. There had to be a nice one somewhere near to their house. Something… maybe indoors and heated, one they could go to even in poor weather.

_Barring that_ , he thought with a grin, _maybe Kingsman has one hidden away somewhere in their secret training facility_.

He snorted a laugh and swam over to the side of the pool near the upper level. He crossed his arms over the side and set his chin on his arms. He was kicking idly, just watching Harry order at the bar. Harry was still in his robe; Eggsy wondered if Harry was even planning on taking it off or not. Order placed, Harry made his way back to the loungers and Eggsy pushed off for another swim. He made it to the curve across from his starting point and looked back at where Harry had gone, and he hissed a breath.

Harry had shed the robe and was wearing just a pair of board shorts. They were plaid; dark blue with lime green vertical stripes and soft blue horizontal ones. They were, as Harry had termed Eggsy’s jacket, mildly obnoxious. And Harry wore them low on his hips.

Eggsy forced his eyes up from the board shorts and he could see that he’d been right about how well muscled the man was. He wasn’t ripped like a twenty-year old in a movie, but Eggsy could clearly see the definition of the muscles in his arms and his abs. Harry didn’t have much chest hair, just the patch between his pecs. Eggsy could see the outline of Harry’s ribs, but just enough to see them. He could see the line of Harry’s hips and… _oh, fuck_ , the man had a fuckin’ happy trail. Maybe he should be happy he’d never see more than that much of Harry; his cock was probably as magnificent as the rest of him. 

He watched - okay, he _stared_ \- as Harry walked around to a clear part of the pool. Eggsy was peripherally aware that he wasn’t the _only_ one staring at Harry as the older man dove into the water.

“Your wife know you ogle men?”

Eggsy blinked and looked around at the voice. “What?” He’d only half-heard the question.

“Does your wife know you ogle men?” he repeated.

Eggsy grinned. “Who says I got a wife?”

The stranger nodded toward Eggsy’s wedding band.

“Yeah, I’m married, but… ain’t no one said I got a wife.”

The stranger grinned and motioned to a woman sitting at the bar. “She’s mine. Been married ten years now.”

“We’re just on my honeymoon,” he said.

He saw Harry break the surface. He watched as Harry tossed his head back, letting his wetted curls flip back. Eggsy bit down on a groan as he watched the water trail down to Harry’s shoulders and back to the pool.

Harry swam over to them and nodded to the stranger. “Making friends, darling?”

Eggsy grinned at the endearment. Was Harry sorta… verbally marking his territory? It sorta felt like that, but… it didn’t _sound_ like that. “Kinda?”

“I’d like to think we can be friends,” the stranger said as he smiled at Harry. He nodded toward the bar. “That’s my wife in the red bikini.”

Harry cast a glance over at her. She was watching them with a smile and she waved when she saw they were looking. Harry put it together immediately; it was hardly the first time he’d been approached like this: they were looking to swing.

“Ah, I see,” Harry said. He put his arm over Eggsy’s shoulder. “Under normal circumstances, I think we could be… friends. We have, however, filled the rest of our holiday with _friendly_ meetings.”

The stranger looked disappointed. “Well, if you have a cancellation, we’re in 706.”

Harry nodded with a smile. “We’ll keep that in mind. I believe our drinks are waiting, if you’ll excuse us.”

Harry nodded toward the area near the upper level and Eggsy swam after him. They went over to the side of the pool and one of the waiters came over from the bar. He brought over a green drink in a martini glass and a drink in a highball glass that started out red at the bottom and was almost yellow at the top. Both were garnished with fruit.

They were girly froufrou drinks and Eggsy bit down on an irritated look. Guys like him couldn’t afford to be seen as girly. At all. And here was Harry getting him a fuckin’ girl’s drink. Maybe Harry didn’t realize… or maybe Harry thought- No, he wasn’t gonna finish _that_ thought.

The waiter knelt so he could hand the drinks to them. “Messers. Hart,” he said and handed them over. He had a pair of floating coasters in a bag on his hip. He set them in the water by Harry and Eggsy. They were simple ones; clear on the bottom, blue on the top with the name of the hotel along one side. “Please let someone know if you need anything else.”

“Cheers,” Harry said and they clinked glasses.

Eggsy tried his with some obvious dislike. It had a straw. A fuckin’ straw. He stared at the glass after trying it and glared at it. It was very citrusy and he couldn’t taste any alcohol. He could probably drink half a dozen before he felt a fuckin’ thing. But… how _dare_ it be so fuckin’ tasty.

“What’re you drinkin’?”

Harry bit down on a smirk. “Vodka martini,” he said innocently.

Eggsy stared at him for a solid minute. “Who are you and what have you done with my husband?”

Harry laughed, his head tipping back. “Darling, an appletini is made with vodka. I don’t believe the subtle taste of juniper and apple schnapps would mix well.”

Eggsy sighed, a bit more irritably than he felt. “So you get a martini and I get a weak girl drink.”

Harry’s brow rose. “And here I thought you _wanted_ to have Sex on the Beach.”

Eggsy stared at him again, his eyes widening. “What?” he yelped.

“Sex on the Beach,” Harry said, too Innocently to be true. “It’s the drink I got you.”

Eggsy’s cheeks burned bright red. “Oh. I. Um.”

“More to the point, that ‘weak girl drink’ has more alcohol per volume than an equal amount of beer.”

Eggsy looked at it and back at him. “The fuck it does.”

“The flavors of ‘girl drinks’ tend to mask their alcohol, thus making them taste weak. I assure you, you _are_ going to feel the alcohol.”

Eggsy eyed the glass again. Well… it _was_ tasty… and it was already paid for.

“Darling,” Harry said softly. “I will never consider you less of a man for enjoying more feminine things.”

Eggsy looked at him, his fading blush blooming again. “I…”

“That _was_ your concern, was it not?”

Eggsy shrugged. “Kinda…”

Harry cupped his cheek. “You are a man, and _nothing_ will ever make me see you differently. Not even if you decide to wear dresses, or makeup, or go off the hormones.”

Eggsy’s entire face softened and the remaining irritation drained out of him. He realized that had been what he’d really been worried about. Not that some rando would think of him as a woman - cos fuck knew there were enough people like that - but that _Harry_ would see him differently.

“Well… don’t think any of that’ll happen,” he said shyly.

Harry kissed him, somewhat chastely and reserved. Eggsy sighed softly and went back to his drink, allowing himself to actually enjoy it. He’d… never really expected to have someone in his life… someone who he was intimate with (even if they weren’t sexual) who would accept him as a man no matter what. It rose in him to tell Harry that he loved him… or at least was sure he was coming to. But then he thought it might be too early… or that Harry might not want him to. So he settled for just… enjoying the pool, his drink, and Harry.

40

They’d gone to dinner in one of the hotel’s fancier restaurants. It had meant a suit, but the food had been _amazing_. And Harry hadn’t taken them back to the suite after. Eggsy had walked along with him, hand-in-hand, to a spot they hadn’t gone to before. There was a sign outside the door with information on what events were in that room on any given day. Tonight’s… was ballroom dancing.

Eggsy grinned. “Didn’t think we’d be doin’ this here.”

“If you’d rather not…”

“Fuck, no! There’s a club here, too. We’re hittin’ that up another night.”

Harry chuckled and led Eggsy into the room. He felt Eggsy’s hand tighten on his at the sight of so many other couples milling around as they waited for the dancing to actually begin. Eggsy was not shy, and Harry knew that. Harry knew it wasn’t the idea of being around all of these people that had him suddenly nervous. 

He pulled Eggsy a bit closer, letting go of his hand and slipping an arm around his waist. “You’re afraid of embarrassing me, aren’t you?”

Eggsy shrugged but didn’t deny it. “I’ve only done this once…”

“Darling, there was a time that all of these people had only ’done this once’. I’ve no doubt that some of the people here tonight have never been ballroom dancing.”

It was only a little while before a string quartet took their place on a small stage to one end of the room. There was polite applause and then they began playing. Harry and Eggsy remained off to the sides for the first dance, and Eggsy watched with wide eyes as the dancers moved around the floor, in time with one-another.

“I… don’t think…”

“We can dance over here, darling,” he said with a nod to the other pairs who weren’t on the floor proper. “And if you decide later that you’d like to try the dance floor, we will.”

“Yeah, let’s… let’s do that.”

Harry put a hand on Eggsy’s waist and Eggsy put his own hand on Harry’s arm. As the music began again, they danced in their area, moving in their own small circle. It took Eggsy a few steps to get the rhythm going again and then they were moving as one. 

“Would you like to try leading?” Harry asked after several songs.

Eggsy shook his head. “No.”

“It isn’t difficult.”

“Oh, ain’t that,” Eggsy said with a grin. “It’s just… you lead, I follow, yeah?”

“If that’s what you’d like, darling.”

“It is,” he said softly. “I think I’d follow you wherever you went.”

A look crossed Harry’s face; one Eggsy couldn’t read. It wasn’t guilt it was… _something_. It was the sort of look Harry had gotten when he’d called Harry ‘sir’. He wasn’t… really sure what that meant. Maybe it reminded Harry of his military days or somethin’. 

“Will you follow me onto the dance floor then?”

Eggsy looked at the dance floor a little uncertainly. Harry had said he wouldn’t be an embarrassment, and for that reason alone he nodded. They waited for the song to end before taking a place on the floor. All his concerns that he might not be able to move both in the circle of their steps _and_ circle around the dance floor with the other pairs evaporated as they started moving. It was effortless, and almost as simple.

It took him a few sets of the step to get comfortable, and then he just watched Harry. Because none of this could be real. At some point, he was gonna wake up in his old flat, with his mobile on his chest and Daisy in his arms. He’d wake up and have to go back out on Smith Street; have to do the ‘yeah, I’m _totally_ a girl’ bullshit again.

He leaned against Harry, letting his arm slip over Harry’s own so that his hand remained on his husband’s shoulder. He moved in time with Harry, stepping where he was led to without needing to watch. 

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah… I just,” he pulled back and looked up at Harry. “This _is_ real, innit?”

“Yes, darling,” Harry said as he pressed a soft kiss to Eggsy’s forehead. “This is all real.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, I've never been to the Whitsunday Islands, but I'm p sure [this](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0f/Whitsunday_Island_-_Whitehaven_Beach_02.jpg) was the picture I found that made me go "t h e r e!". So the island is kinda based in reality. 
> 
> The [hotel](https://www.crownperth.com.au/hotels/crown-towers) I sorta took from Perth and moved it there. [This](https://www.crownperth.com.au/getmedia/2dbede3c-d373-4c9a-99dc-d4fff1b8b5bc/161111-Crown-Towers-Perth-Deluxe-Villa-Floorplans-900x506-HR7.jpg.aspx) is the room I based theirs on. It's the Deluxe Villa if you wanna look at room interiors.
> 
> Also, _A View to a Kill_ I'm sure some people realize is a 1985 Roger Moore James Bond movie. Why it's suddenly a 2015 movie will be explained... in, uh, 4ish chapters XD


	7. Chapter 7

41

It was well after midnight by the time they got back to the suite. The ballroom dancing had ended around ten and they’d gone for a walk on the beach, their oxfords in their locker and still in their suits. They’d gone far enough up the beach to be out of the light of the hotel, and then they’d started dancing in the starlight. They were still barefooted when they returned to suite, shoes in hand.

Eggsy thought about dropping his shoes, but _knew_ the look he’d get from Harry. He set them on the floor and then shrugged out of the suit jacket. “I need to start goin’ to a gym or somethin’. Ain’t had to parkour since Dean kicked off and I can _feel_ it.”

“We can certainly get you a membership. There’s one within walking distance that I’ve heard good things about.”

Eggsy smiled at him as he draped his suit jacket over one of the dining nook chairs. “I’m gonna go soak in that tub.”

Harry watched him for a moment before speaking. “Would you… mind putting that off for twenty minutes or so?”

“Sure, gonna get changed outta this though.”

He went into the bedroom and got out of the rest of the suit. He thought about actually putting something on and settled for just the robe. He was just gonna be getting in the tub - the fuckin’ Jacuzzi tub - so why bother?

He went back out and flopped on the sofa beside Harry. “So… what’s gonna take twenty minutes?”

Harry smiled vaguely and pulled the younger man close. “Oh, there are a great many things that can take up twenty minutes.”

Eggsy eyed him. He was never sure how much he should flirt with Harry when it came to comments like this. He never wanted Harry to feel as though they _had_ to have sex; he remembered all too well what it had felt like to be expected to perform sexually.

“What’d you have in mind?”

Harry pressed a kiss to his lips, and then opened his mouth against Eggsy’s own. Eggsy sighed into his mouth, arms slipping around Harry’s neck. He felt Harry pressing against him and he lay back, one leg slipping off the sofa. Harry pressed against him and he could feel how hard Harry was. He arched up against Harry, moaning into his mouth; it was nearly a whimper of need.

He fully expected Harry to pull away from him. He did _not_ expect to feel his husband’s hand on his leg; to feel Harry pull the robe open and slide that hand up his thigh. He was fully exposed beneath Harry and he wanted so desperately to reach between them and unbuckle Harry’s belt, but he kept his arms around Harry’s neck. Harry had some serious guilt issues about him and he didn’t want to make Harry… sorta remember that he thought he was supposed to feel guilty about this.

Harry broke the kiss and Eggsy had a second where he thought that was the end of it, but then he felt Harry’s teeth in his neck. He tipped his head to the side to give Harry better access. His breath came in quiet little gasps and he was shaking. His neck started to get sore from Harry biting and sucking on it, but he didn’t want it to stop. And he knew he was gonna cum if Harry kept it up much longer; and he’d never cum without any real sexual contact before. Part of him figured it was the anticipation, the buildup from seeing Harry in more and more revealing things. Had it been any real _wonder_ that Victorian blokes nearly came in their pants at the sight of a woman’s ankle? _Fuck_ , that’d been how he’d felt.

He let one hand trail down from Harry’s neck to his chest. He loosened Harry’s tie and started working on the top buttons. He had the first one undone when Harry took his mouth again. He cried out into the kiss; it was a forceful thing; a _possessive_ thing. He felt Harry’s hand wrap around his wrist and pin it to the sofa. He gave a soft tug and felt Harry shift his weight to keep him still.

He hadn’t realized Harry was fuckin’ _kinky_. He’d never been into it before, but somethin’ about _Harry_ holdin’ him down was _hot_ as fuck. What would it be like to be tied up by Harry? To be completely at his fuckin’ mercy? Eggsy shivered at the thought. Not long ago - some forty-odd days ago - he _never_ would have thought he’d be with someone he could trust the way he trusted Harry. Not only would Harry not hurt him, but… if he changed his mind about something? He knew Harry would listen to him.

He wanted to tell Harry that; that he wanted Harry to fuck him, hold him down, tie him up, whatever he wanted. Not because he was afraid of the consequences. Not because he felt required to. But because he trusted Harry… because he kinda loved him.

“Harry…” he whispered when his husband broke the kiss for a moment. He could feel Harry’s hand slowly moving up, slowly moving inward.

Harry pulled back from him just enough to look into his eyes. Eggsy could see that his pupils were blown wide with lust. Eggsy let his free hand slip down to Harry’s cheek. How long had it been since he’d _wanted_ to have sex with someone? How long had it been since it hadn’t been more than a job that’d been forced on him?

“Please…” he whispered.

Harry opened his mouth to say something, but whatever it was ended up lost with a knock at their suite door. Eggsy wanted to scream; to just tell whoever the _fuck_ had the gall to knock sometime after fuckin’ _midnight_ to fuck right off. But Harry got off of him and went to the door. Eggsy sat up, straightening his robe and sulking.

“Good evening, sir,” came a male voice from the door. “As requested. Shall I set it out for you?”

“Please,” Harry said, stepping back.

Eggsy watched as the on-call butler (their suite had a 24-hour on-call butler for fuck’s sake; he _really_ didn’t want to know how much Harry was paying for this) went into the bedroom and heard him go into the en suite. He shot Harry a curious look, and then he saw the look on Harry’s face. The guilt was back and he had a feeling Harry was looking at the mark he _had_ to have left.

Eggsy waited until the butler left and went over to Harry. He put his arms around Harry’s neck. “Wasn’t nothin’ I didn’t want, Harry.”

“I know,” he said softly. “I shouldn’t have…”

“Shouldn’t have… been snoggin’ your husband? Touchin’ him?” Eggsy shook his head. “Cos that all sounds like normal shit to me.”

“It…” He stroked Eggsy’s hair. Eggsy wasn’t wrong. It _was_ normal for a married couple. And… well, there _was_ no denying that they both wanted it. “You were going to have a bath.”

Eggsy _wanted_ to give him a sour look. He _wanted_ to be an arse about it. But… he also knew that Harry had issues about this, because Harry had been the one to give him the medal. It rose in him to tell Harry that he knew; that it was alright. But instead he just smiled and pressed a soft kiss to his husband’s lips.

“Yeah, I was. I’ll go do that.”

“I thought… I might join you.”

Eggsy watched him for a moment. “You know you ain’t gotta, Harry. I mean, I’m _thrilled_ if you wanna, but you ain’t gotta.”

Harry nodded. “I know.”

“Alright,” Eggsy grinned and then looked thoughtful. “I was plannin’ on, you know, being naked. You alright with that?”

Harry chuckled softly. “Yes, darling.”

42

Eggsy shed his robe in the en suite. He’d left the lights off when he’d seen what Harry had ordered up for them. There were candles along the side and foot of the tub and a tray had been snapped onto the opposite side; it held two champagne glasses and a bowl of strawberries. There was a bucket on a stand beside it with a bottle of champagne chilling. The water was already running and there was a pleasant smelling bath soak bubbling up.

He got into the tub and settled on the far side of it. The water was hot, soothingly so, and he settled down into the water so he was as covered as the current level would allow. He closed his eyes, relaxing and shifting as the water level rose.

He smiled to himself when he heard Harry come into the room. “Got my eyes closed,” he said quietly. “Figured that’d make you a little more comfortable.”

Harry chuckled. “All of my concerns about making _you_ uncomfortable or making you feel forced or coerced, and you’ve been doing nothing but reassuring _me_.”

“Well,” Eggsy laughed. “Harry, you ain’t gotta be a spy to see the guilt in your face every time.”

“I suppose not.”

Eggsy heard Harry come closer and then the _pop_ from the champagne bottle. He heard Harry fill the glasses and then get in the water. He gave Harry a few moments to get settled in.

“You alright if I look now?”

“Yes, you’re… quite welcome to.”

Eggsy opened his eyes and found himself being handed a glass of champagne. Harry turned on the jets. They turned the bubbles into a nice, frothy foam. Eggsy really wanted to drop his hand beneath the foam and put it on Harry’s cock. He leaned against Harry and held his hand instead.

They drank and fed each other strawberries. Sometimes they kissed, their formerly linked hands leaving sudsy prints on each other. They talked little and just enjoyed the intimacy of sharing a bath. Once the champagne was gone, they settled back in the water and Eggsy curled up against Harry, his hands never straying below the man’s chest.

It wasn’t too much longer before Harry realized Eggsy had fallen asleep against him. He wasn’t too surprised; it had to be close to two am. He very gently rinsed off the few remaining suds from Eggsy. They’d mostly vanished at this point, even in the water.

“Eggsy.”

“Mm?”

“The water’s getting cold.”

“Ge’ a blanket,” Eggsy slurred

Harry bit down on a laugh. “Darling, we’re still in the bath.”

“Yeah, s’ ge’ a blanket.”

“Darling,” he said and gently kissed Eggsy. 

Eggsy’s eyes opened at that. They were slightly unfocused and Harry wasn’t entirely certain if Eggsy was _actually_ awake or not. Harry thought he might be awake _enough_ to get him out of the bath.

“Come on,” he coaxed as he got out of the bath.

He managed to get Eggsy out of the water; the fact that Eggsy’s eyes didn’t dip to the few bits he’d so far been denied told Harry that Eggsy was, indeed, still asleep. He got a towel and dried Eggsy off. He didn’t let his eyes linger on his young husband’s body nor did he look at the one place he hadn’t let Eggsy see of himself yet. That was the sort of thing the people who’d paid for Eggsy’s body would have done, and something Eggsy might still be expecting _him_ to do.

He wrapped Eggsy in his robe and carried him into the bedroom. Eggsy was fully out again by the time they got into the bedroom. Harry put Eggsy to bed, still only clad in his robe. He’d thought about attempting to get Eggsy into something - pyjama bottoms at the least - but he thought it might be easier for the both of them if he didn’t; they’d finished off the bottle together, but Harry had certainly had quite a few more glasses than Eggsy had. He got into his own pyjamas, lay beside Eggsy, and was quickly asleep.

43

They stayed in the next day, watching movies and ordering in when they got hungry. Eggsy didn’t get dressed beyond the robe. It took some coaxing and some puppy eyes, but he managed to convince Harry to not get dressed, either. Harry stayed in pyjamas and his bathrobe after he showered; he even left his hair in its soft curls.

“You know,” Eggsy said after their current movie ended, “we really oughta talk about it.”

“About what?”

“You ain’t gotta feel guilty about wantin’ to have sex with me. I kinda get it, but…” he shook his head. “It’s _alright_.”

Harry watched him for a moment before sighing. “Eggsy, you… don’t understand.”

“No, actually, I do,” he smiled at Harry. “It’s how I knew you was a marine.”

Harry shook his head. “I was never-”

“Oxfords not brogues. They’re your ‘words to live by’, to the point that anyone in Kingsman’d know someone was talkin’ about you.”

Harry stiffened, visibly, and then he sighed. “That’s why you thought I’d been in the service. I truly never have.”

“But you-”

“Yes, I brought you that medal after your father died, and he did sort of serve under me. It was not, however, military service.”

Eggsy eyed him for a moment. “You better not be about to tell me he was your submissive.”

“No! Our relationship was purely professional.” Harry was quiet for a moment. “Lee… was going to be my protégé. My predecessor thought my proposing him was an ‘experiment’. Kingsman has always been nobility, but times _are_ changing and we need to change with them.”

Eggsy laughed. “Yeah, my dad left his squad, went fuckin’ AWOL apparently, to become a tailor.”

“Oh, he wasn’t AWOL. As far as his CO knew, he was with special forces, which… wasn’t far from the truth.” Harry rose and went into the bedroom for a moment. He returned and sat beside Eggsy and offered him the glasses. “Put these on.”

Eggsy gave him an indulgent smile. “Alright, but I don’t need ‘em.” He put them on and then frowned. “What, d’you wear these for the fuckin’ aesthetic?”

Harry laughed softly and took Eggsy’s hand. He guided it to the arm of the glasses and the tiny button just behind the frames. “Press that.”

“Alright…”

Eggsy pressed it and the glasses turned on. The HUD loaded and he sat back a bit. The glasses scanned the room and displayed a brief message informing him that there were no bugs in the scanning area. He looked over at Harry, planning on asking him what in the _fuck_ this was, but then information on _Harry_ started popping up; his name, height, age… and a codename.

“The fuck does _that_ mean? ‘Codename: Arthur’?” Sure, Harry had referred to himself that way as part of their joke. But. It was _part of their joke_.

Harry chuckled. “That my codename is Arthur.”

“The fuck d’you _actually_ need a _codename_ for?”

Harry shook his head. “In the upper right hand corner, there’s an icon for contacts. Select it and then select Merlin.”

Eggsy did that and nodded. “Okay… it’s offering me direct connection or text.”

“Direct.”

Eggsy selected that and then settled back against the sofa. It only took a moment before a dim square appeared. It took him a moment to realize he was looking at a ceiling.

“ _Harry, it’s three in the fuckin’ mornin’. Swear to God, if this is a guilt call because you wanna fuck yer husband, I’m gonna fly out there_ just _to kick your arse._ ”

“Holy shit.”

The image swiveled as Merlin sat up and Eggsy found himself looking in their bedroom.

“ _How in the_ fuck _did you get these?_ ”

Eggsy looked over at Harry. “He… told me to use them.”

Merlin was quiet for a moment. “ _About fuckin’ time he told you.”_ Merlin sighed and lay back again. “ _Well, now you’ve seen the HUD and how they work. I’m goin’ back to sleep. Merlin out._ ”

The image vanished and Eggsy felt along the glasses for the button again. He shut them off and handed them to Harry. And then he stared at Harry for a moment.

“Why… do you need something like that?”

“I told you: I’m a spy.”

Eggsy rolled his eyes. “Harry, this ain’t…” He trailed off. That was why Harry had always sounded so fuckin’ serious when he’d make those jokes; he _hadn’t_ been joking. “Oh. _Fuck_. You… Hang on, you was tryin’ to make my _dad_ a spy?!”

“Yes, and he did quite well, too,” Harry said. “He and Roxy’s step-father were the last two of their class; they were both vying for the position of Lancelot. They passed what is generally the final test and their scores were nearly identical. Merlin oversees the classes of proposals when the need arises, and-”

“But Hamish ain’t… or he ain’t never struck me as…”

“No, Merlin isn’t,” Harry said slowly. “Staff is often-”

“Us common types, right? Not good enough to be spies, but good enough to wipe your arses.”

Harry nodded once. “That… is essentially the mentality.”

Eggsy crossed his arms and sulked back against the sofa. “Well… you was tryin’ ta change that, I guess, so…” He shrugged. “So, what happened?”

“It was decided that Merlin, James, and your father would go on a mission with a seasoned agent. As I was the one who proposed Lee, my predecessor decided that I should be the one to go. Undoubtedly because he felt your father would fail and I would have to be the one to welcome James into Kingsman.”

“What a piece of shit.”

“Yes,” Harry agreed. “I was angry but… not exactly surprised when I learned he’d joined Valentine. You might have noticed that all of the people who died from their heads exploding were all rich, powerful… They were the ones he felt should remake the world.”

Eggsy laughed. “Who was gonna tell ‘em they’d have to start raisin’ their own food?”

Harry chuckled. “That _would_ have been something of a rude awakening for them.”

Eggsy grinned, and then it slowly faded. “So. _Did_ he fail?”

“He… never had the opportunity to be tested, although I’ve little doubt he would have succeeded. We were interrogating a prisoner, and I… missed that he had a grenade until he sat up with the key in his mouth. Your father didn’t even hesitate; he threw himself on it. He sacrificed himself for James, for Merlin, and for myself.”

“And that’s… why you get that guilty look at times.”

“Yes.” He shook his head. “I should have done more than just… given the medal and never checked up on you.” He paused for just a beat. “Although, you _could_ have called.”

Eggsy shrugged. “Was one favor. How was I s’pposed to know you’d do something like _this_?”

Harry was quiet for a moment. “That’s… fair.”

It was Eggsy’s turn to be quiet. “And that’s… why even though you obviously want to, we ain’t havin’ sex ever.”

“Eggsy,” he said softly. “Your father died for me. Every breath I take is one I owe to him. How can I justify sleeping with his only child?”

“Well… there’s the fact we’re married. And… I meant it when I said you don’t owe me nothin’.”

“Eggsy.”

He held a hand up to shush him. “No, I mean it. You feel like you owe my dad your life, right? You saved me _and_ Daise. For the rest of our lives, we ain’t gotta worry about where our next meal is comin’ from, or are we gonna lose our home, or _nothin’_. Every breath _I_ take is one that’s gonna come easy cos of you.” He put a hand on Harry’s cheek. “You n’ my dad? You’re square. This? This is just about _us_.”

He pulled Harry close and kissed him. He slipped his arms around Harry’s neck and felt Harry’s arms snake around his waist. He leaned back, pulling Harry down on top of him. He wouldn’t push for anything beyond the kissing. It was all well and good for him to tell Harry he didn’t owe him anything else, but he knew it could be awhile before Harry actually stopped feeling that way, or overcame it enough for more to happen between them.

44

He didn’t end up having to wait long. It was only a couple nights later as he was getting ready for bed. His hair was still damp from his shower and he was clad only in a towel. He didn’t even hear Harry come up behind him, but he sighed softly and leaned back against his husband when he felt arms around him.

Harry kissed just below his ear and then down his neck. Eggsy groaned softly and tipped his head to the side, letting Harry have better access as he moved slowly down toward his shoulder. Harry stopped just where his shoulder started and bit down; it was just this side of painful and Eggsy let out a soft keening sound. Harry slid his hands down to the towel and gave it a soft tug. It opened and slid to the floor; Harry’s hands settled on Eggsy’s hips.

He turned in Harry’s arms, his abs jumping as Harry’s fingers trailed over them. He started unbuttoning Harry’s shirt and slid it off of him. Harry pulled his undershirt off as Eggsy’s hands went for his belt. He unbuckled it and then unbuttoned and unzipped Harry’s trousers. He could feel how hard Harry was beneath them and he didn’t shy away from it. He wanted his hands on Harry’s cock; his mouth; his tongue. He wanted to taste him, be filled by him.

He went down to his knees, pulling Harry’s trousers with him. He slid them off of Harry’s legs, letting his hands run over Harry’s strong calves. He sat up on his knees and hooked his fingers in Harry’s silk boxers. He pulled them down and off, and then looked up at Harry’s cock. It was average length, but it was _thick_. Nicely thick, and he preferred thick. There was something _much_ more satisfying about being spread wide than having something very long inside of him. He could tell just by _looking_ that his jaw would end up sore from sucking Harry off. 

He groaned at the thought of it and reached up, cupping Harry’s balls in one hand. He ran his tongue along the underside of Harry’s shaft and took the head into his mouth. He suckled on it and felt Harry’s hand on the back of his head, although Harry wasn’t pressing against his head. Eggsy took him to the root (and _fuck_ he tasted good) and pulled off of him, but only twice. As much as he wanted to suck him off, he wanted to be fucked more and he doubted that a man in his fifties was gonna be up to more than once a night.

He stood up, running his hands up Harry’s body as he moved. He led Harry to the bed and Harry laid him back. Harry kissed him and he arched up against Harry, arms going around his neck. He wrapped his legs around Harry’s own and tried to pull him closer, tighter. He could _just_ feel Harry’s cock and Harry wasn’t letting himself be pulled closer.

“I need to know what you like and what’s not alright,” Harry said against his skin. “And please take into account… I’ve never been with a man like you.”

“No?”

Harry laughed softly. “When I was a young man, I had never heard of hormone therapy. I’m not certain if it was even an option.”

“Oh!” Eggsy smiled slowly. “Well… do you know anything ‘bout what it does?”

Harry nodded. “I… may have researched it before we came here.”

Eggsy let a hand slip from Harry’s neck to his cheek. “Just for research purposes, right?”

“Well… obviously not, I would think.”

He laughed softly. “Then you get why… I might wanna do it in the arse?”

Harry nodded. With the change in hormones, the vagina ends up drying out and becoming brittle. Lube was an option, of course, but even then, one had to be gentle. “Yes. I had assumed we would be, eventually, unless you had another mind.”

Eggsy grinned. “Assumed we would be, huh?”

Harry shot him a playfully sour look. “Guilt or not, I would think we both knew this would happen.”

“I… wasn’t sure, actually. And I was mostly fine with it!”

“Only mostly?” Harry teased.

“You try livin’ with someone who looks like you and kisses the way you do and tell me you’d be perfectly fine never fuckin’ ‘im.”

“Well, I can certainly understand that.”

Eggsy snickered and then kissed his lips. “I don’t have another mind,” he said softly. “Never actually had a whole lot of feeling there. But, you know, if you wanna sometime.”

“What I want… is for you to enjoy yourself as much as I will,” he said. “Would you rather I not touch… any of that?” Harry felt a bit odd avoiding the proper terms, or even slang terms. But… _Eggsy_ had avoided them; he wasn’t sure if hearing them would make his young husband uncomfortable.

“Fuck no. I didn’t grow a dick just for no one to touch it.” He figured it was really too small to be properly called a dick, but he _much_ preferred that to calling it his clit. “I _want_ you to touch me,” he added softly.

“May I look at you?” Harry saw the hesitance in Eggsy’s eyes and shook his head. “It’s alright, darling.”

“No, it ain’t… I just…” He bit his lip. “I always made it so most clients didn’t see. I had a couple of ‘em who had a fetish and just… wanted to look while pullin’ off. But…”

“I promise you that I’m not going to just… ogle you. It will simply help me to see what I’m working with, but if you aren’t comfortable with that…”

“You can…”

Harry kissed his lips, his neck, his chest, and all down his body as he moved lower. He got down to Eggsy’s ‘dick’ and eyed it for a moment. He couldn’t deny that it looked quite like an erect penis, even if it was only a few inches in length. He looked up and met Eggsy’s eyes. He could see the stark need in those green eyes; the need for his acceptance.

He smiled slowly and leaned down. He kissed the tip of Eggsy’s cock and then took it into his mouth. He felt Eggsy arch up against him almost immediately and then felt a hand in his hair. He sucked gently, far more gently than he might normally have. He wasn’t certain if Eggsy would be more sensitive than he was or not, but his husband was _clearly_ enjoying it.

He paid close attention to ever thrust, every moan, every time Eggsy hissed his name. Eggsy’s legs wrapped around him and pulled Harry harder against himself. This time, Harry let himself be pulled in. Eggsy was gripping at the blankets and moaning, possibly loudly enough for their neighbors to hear. And there were few things, in Harry’s opinion, hotter than a partner who gave themselves so completely to their pleasure.

He felt Eggsy tensing up around and beneath him. He heard Eggsy’s breath coming in short, rapid gasps, and it wasn’t long before Eggsy curled up a bit, tensing up completely and pressing Harry’s head hard against himself. He could feel Eggsy’s cock twitching in his mouth as he came, and it was only when it stopped twitching that he pulled off of it and moved back up to Eggsy. The younger man was shivering and clung to him with something of a whimper.

“Are you alright?”

“Mm-hmm.” It was somewhat high-pitched; it was an almost pleading sound.

Harry held him close, letting him ride out the feelings from his first blowjob. Eggsy buried his head against Harry’s neck and Harry stroked his back. When the shivers and panting had passed, Eggsy looked up at him. The adoration - which never truly vanished - was there, shining brightly. 

“I take it you enjoyed that.”

“Very much,” he sighed. “But you… I mean…”

“Darling, I enjoy giving them as much as I enjoy receiving them,” he grinned. “Especially to someone as responsive as you.”

Eggsy flushed, realizing _how_ loud he’d been. “Sorry…”

“Don’t apologize. _Let_ them hear you. Let them know how completely fuckable I find you.”

Eggsy shivered pleasantly. That was… the _least_ gentlemanly thing he’d heard Harry say, and that made it… all the fuckin’ hotter. “Do you… I mean, if you want one…?”

“Another time,” Harry agreed. “Tonight, however, I plan on fucking you until you are a shaking, sobbing mess.”

Eggsy let out a softly keening noise at Harry’s threat. Had anyone ever threatened him in such a wonderfully delicious way? It occurred to Eggsy that Harry’s role as a spy had been heavy on seduction and fucking. He closed his eyes and hissed a breath, wondering if Harry was going to utterly ruin him for anyone else ever.

45

Harry reached over to the nightstand and pulled the drawer open. Eggsy rolled his head to the side and saw Harry setting a bottle of lube and some condoms on the top. Eggsy frowned a little.

“Harry, you… know I’m clean, yeah?”

Harry looked back at Eggsy. He’d heard the softly hurt undercurrent in Eggsy’s tone. “Yes, of course, darling.”

“I ain’t had sex with no one since I moved in,” Eggsy said, shaking his head lightly.

Harry smiled softly and kissed his lips. “Darling, I know that, but _I_ share a bed with a man whose health and history _you_ don’t know.”

Eggsy looked shyly pleased. Harry was, yet again, considering his safety and needs before his own. “Yeah, well… you’ve been a spy since the 80s, right? And Merlin’s been there ‘bout as long as you, yeah?”

“Correct.”

“And your shit was seduction, so you… fucked a lot of targets, basically. So you’ve _had_ to keep an eye on your health,” Eggsy said. “If Merlin had somethin’, I’d think you woulda figured that out and taken care of it.”

Harry’s brow rose. “And you’re… just going to trust that?”

Eggsy tipped his head back against the pillow with a soft laugh. “Yeah, guess I am.” He looked back up at Harry and put a hand on his cheek. “You told me all you wanted in return was my loyalty and my trust. I trust you, Harry.”

Harry got some of the lube on his fingers and slid one inside Eggsy. The younger man arched his hips up towards Harry’s hand, his head tipping back against the pillow and eyes slipping shut. It was only a moment before Eggsy felt a second finger slip inside of him, and then Harry’s mouth was on his own, ravishing his mouth even as he was spread open. He felt Harry slip a third finger inside of him and he moaned into Harry’s mouth.

And then both Harry’s hand and lips were gone. Eggsy looked up at him as he laced his fingers behind Harry’s neck. Harry was watching him with such serious concern. Eggsy smiled slowly as he realized Harry was checking that he hadn’t changed his mind; he nodded.

He felt Harry’s cock, and then felt it slowly pushing into him. He wrapped his legs around Harry’s own, locking them behind his knees, and arched up to meet him. Harry kept up a slow pace. Eggsy tried to make him speed up, and all he got for his trouble was a soft kiss and a whisper.

“Patience, darling.”

He’d never been fucked slow like this. He’d never felt his orgasm building so slowly, so deliciously. As he cried out, he felt Harry altering what he was doing; shifting his position and angle to the way Eggsy responded best to. It wasn’t long before Eggsy’s cries were nearly screams of pleasure. And then he felt Harry’s hand wrap around his cock. He yelled something utterly unintelligible as Harry started stroking him in time with his movements. It wasn’t long until he was shuddering beneath Harry as the most drawn out orgasm of his life washed over him in slow waves.

He tried to say something, cos he knew Harry hadn’t gotten off, but Harry was still thrusting inside of him. Some blokes lost the ability to cum as much as they wanted after they’d been on T for a while; he hadn’t, and Harry was clearly planning to take advantage of that. It wasn’t long before he was utterly _lost_ ; in his pleasure, in Harry’s touch, in the feel of Harry’s lips on his and on his neck.

He couldn’t have said how long it was before he realized Harry had pulled out of him and was gently making him cum one last time. And then Harry was laying beside him, pulling him against his chest. Harry had his arms around him and was softly stroking his hair. Somewhere in the back of his mind - in the last bastion of rational thought - he realized he’d started crying at some point during their fucking. He was a shaking, not-quite-sobbing mess… and he wasn’t even coherent enough to laugh about it. He distantly heard Harry let out a quiet, pleased chuckle. He wanted to say something - maybe ask Harry what was funny, maybe thank him for the fucking - but he was too far gone.


	8. Chapter 8

46

In what felt like no time, their honeymoon was over. They hadn’t just holed up in their room for the rest of the time. They’d done some touristy stuff - tours and shit like that - and they’d done a bit of shopping. Cos what kinda brother- _cum_ -dad would he be if he didn’t bring home presents for Daisy?

It was a little after midnight when they drove up to the door. Eggsy was nearly asleep on his feet. And despite Harry’s mild protests, Eggsy helped him get their luggage inside.

“Just leave it in the entryway for now,” Harry said, pressing a kiss to his temple. “We’ll get it in the morning.”

“Mmkay,” Eggsy said through a yawn.

The light in the lounge was on and Eggsy went over to it, intending to say ‘hi’ and ‘night’ to Merlin. He smiled at the sight in the lounge. Merlin was in there, sitting at one end of the sofa. He was in pyjama bottom and a bathrobe. Daisy was asleep on the sofa beside him. She was in dinosaur pyjamas and her thumb was in her mouth.

“She wanted to stay up until you came home,” Merlin said quietly. “She’s been out for hours now.”

Eggsy laughed softly and went over to them. He knelt by Daisy and softly kissed her forehead. “I’m home, baby.”

“E’sy,” she slurred, her eyes fluttering as she tried to wake up. “Hi, E’sy.”

He picked her up and she held onto him, half hugging him and half falling asleep on him. “Were you good for Hamish?”

“Uh-huh. Was a angel,” she said. “Hamis’ said so.”

“Mm-hmm,” Eggsy said doubtfully. “Let’s get you up to bed, yeah?”

“Okay.”

“I’m… gonna crash after,” he said. “That alright?”

“Of course,” Merlin said. “Get some sleep. We’ll be up later.”

Eggsy took her upstairs and she was already asleep again by the time he laid her in her bed. He tucked her in and kissed her forehead. He was tired from trying to sleep on the jet, but he sat with her for a while, just watching her sleep. That had been the _longest_ he’d been away from her in her life, and damn if he hadn’t missed her. He’d missed all the little parts of taking care of her. For as much as he’d never considered ‘househusband’ as a career path, taking care of her was a fulltime job, and it was _his_ job.

He grinned to himself. Maybe once she was in school, he could get a ‘mummy hours’ job. That could be nice. He could probably actually land one, given the change in his surname and - as a result - social class. He had no idea what he’d _do_ , consider he’d never held down an actual job before, but… it was a thought.

Harry and Merlin were still downstairs when he went into their bedroom. He shed his clothes, leaving them in a pile on the floor. Harry wouldn’t like it, but they could stay there until morning. He thought about getting into a pair of pyjama bottoms, but the bed - _his_ bed, _their_ bed - looked _so_ good and _so_ comfortable. He crawled into bed in just his boxers and was asleep before his head touched the pillow.

47

He didn’t even hear Merlin get up in the morning. He didn’t notice breakfast being made. And he most certainly didn’t notice the oh, so faint sounds of the television. When he finally started to wake up, he felt Harry’s arms around him, Harry’s body against his, Harry’s head tucked against his neck.

“Timezit?” he muttered.

Something that sounded like ‘dunno’ came from the vicinity of his neck. He smiled to himself. He’d never heard Harry say ‘dunno’ before, and he never expected he would again… not unless he managed to catch his husband _this_ close to sleep again.

“Merlin left a while ago,” Harry said after a few moments, sounding more awake but not yet moving.

“Should get Daise up then.”

“Mm-hmm.”

Eggsy didn’t move for a bit and then he reached over to the nightstand - without opening his eyes - and felt for his mobile. He had to search around a bit before he found it and managed to pull it over to himself. He hit the button and stared blearily at the screen for a moment.

11:26 a.m.

He settled back against Harry, and then the time hit him. He sat up, flailing out of Harry’s arms and getting his pyjama bottoms.

“Darling?”

“It’s almost fuckin’ noon.” He was pulling them on while heading toward the door. “I dunno why Daise didn’t wake me up. She was real good about it when we was livin’ in the flat.”

The door was open, just a crack. They’d gotten into the habit of not closing it all the way in case Daisy needed them. And as Eggsy pulled the door the rest of the way open, he could just faintly hear what Daisy was watching. He heard Harry getting up as he hurried down the stairs. Daisy was sitting on the floor, coloring while she watched a cartoon. She had a pile of toys with her and had very clearly been entertaining herself.

“‘m sorry, babe. I’ll get you breakfast right now.”

“Hamis’ got breakfas’,” she said.

“He… did?”

“Uh-huh! An’ he said let E’sy an’ Harry sleep.”

“My best girl.” He went over to her and kissed her on the forehead. “And… I guess I’ll get you lunch when it’s time.”

“Okay!” She beamed at him. “E’sy color with me?”

“Course, baby.”

He settled on the floor with her and started coloring with her, sharing the page of her coloring book. They were still working on that page when Harry came downstairs, dressed - of course - in a suit. Eggsy grinned at seeing his hair; Harry had left his soft curls alone. Eggsy went over to him and put his arms around his husband’s neck before giving him a soft kiss.

“What’s that for?”

“Positive reinforcement,” Eggsy said. “For leavin’ your hair alone.”

Harry chuckled, his arms slipping around Eggsy’s waist. “I ‘left it alone’ as I don’t plan on going out today. If I do, I _will_ do my hair.”

Eggsy gave him a mock pout.

“Darling, it doesn’t look as professional.”

Eggsy made a show of rolling his eyes. “Harry, you could walk into a meeting starkers and give off professional vibes.”

“I think I shall refrain from testing that theory,” he said as he bit back an amused smile. “Have you given the little angel her presents?”

“Presents?” came an excited squeal from the floor.

Eggsy looked down to see Daisy bouncing on the balls of her feet. “Hmm, I don’t know. Did we _have_ presents for her?”

“I certainly thought we did,” Harry said. “In the biggest bag, in the front.”

Daisy squealed and ran out into the entryway. Eggsy laughed softly and followed her out. She was pulling the zipper open and pulled out a koala plush and a kangaroo plush. She giggled excitedly, dancing from foot to foot, and held them up.

“A bear an’ a roo!”

Eggsy knelt. “‘s right, babe. That kinda bear’s called a koala.”

“Ka-la.”

“Ko-a-la.”

“Ka-la!”

He grinned. “Close enough, baby.”

She threw her arms around him, smacking him in the back with both of the plushies, and kissed him on the cheek. “T’ank you!”

“Harry bought ‘em with me.”

She went over to Harry, hopping and yelling ‘hop’ every time, and threw her arms up. He picked her up and she hugged him before giving him a kiss on the cheek. And then she squirmed to be let down and went into the lounge, hopping all the way and yelling ‘hop’ every time.

Eggsy followed her into the lounge and watched her settle in with her other toys and start introducing her ka-la and roo to her other toys. It wasn’t long before she settled back into coloring, her roo under one arm and her ka-la sat near the coloring book with a crayon so it could color, too.

“Got room for one more?”

She grinned up at him. “Yes!”

48

They’d been home for nearly a week. Eggsy had spent the first few days absolutely doting on Daisy. They’d gotten into… not exactly an agreement, but more of a routine with Daisy. Because Eggsy was home with her all day, gave her baths a couple times a week, and put her down for her nap, Harry and Merlin had been trading off on taking her up to bed at night. 

It had been Merlin’s night and Eggsy was lounging against Harry on the sofa. Harry had an arm around him and was lighting stroking his shoulder with a thumb. Merlin returned before too long and joined them on the sofa.

Eggsy felt Harry’s arm move off of him. He figured the next thing would be Harry and Merlin heading upstairs. They’d been going upstairs together almost every night since they’d been back. Eggsy didn’t blame them; he’d had Harry to himself for two weeks. He heard Harry say something to Merlin. It was too quiet for him to make out, but he didn’t really need to.

“Night, guys,” he said, looking over at Harry for a kiss.

Harry gave him the kiss he wanted and then stood up. He took Eggsy’s hand and nodded toward the stairs. Eggsy grinned and got up, letting Harry lead him upstairs and to their bedroom. Eggsy looked at the bed briefly, and then looked away; he was clearly trying to bite back a grin.

“What?” Harry asked, gently nudging Eggsy to look at him.

“Stupid, girly thought,” Eggsy muttered.

Harry gripped Eggsy’s jaw and made his young husband look at him. “What have I told you?”

Eggsy shivered. Harry’s voice was that warm, low rumble again and… fuck, it was hot. He felt himself getting hard and his knees getting weak. It took him a moment to even realize what Harry meant, and then another moment to get his voice back.

“That… nothing’ll make you think less of me as a man.”

“Correct,” Harry said. “So now, you are _going_ to tell me your ‘girly thought’.”

Eggsy shifted a little and tried to look away, but Harry wouldn’t let go of his jaw. He looked into Harry’s eyes, so dark and commanding. “That… it’s our first time… in our bed.”

“Good boy,” Harry said and kissed him. “And that’s hardly a ‘girly’ thought; that’s a romantic’s thought.”

Eggsy shivered against him. The praise on its own would have been lovely, but he said it in that same warm rumble and it was making him melt. Melt and want to do something else to get _those_ words in _that_ tone.

Harry laughed softly and let his hands slip down Eggsy’s body, to the hem of his shirt. He slid his hands under and slowly pushed it up and over Eggsy’s head. He let it drop to the floor as Eggsy started unbuttoning his shirt.

“You know…” Eggsy began as he slid Harry’s button down off of his shoulders. “You can do all that stuff with me; kinky shit, I mean. You can… tie me up and fuck me and… whatever else.”

Harry’s brow rose. There was… a big difference between what he’d just done and actually dominating him. Especially… considering he’d told himself he wouldn’t bring it up for years. But… _who_ exactly had started this by pinning Eggsy to the sofa?

“Darling, that…” He was quiet as Eggsy slid his undershirt off of him. “That takes a lot of discussion.”

Eggsy laughed and started unbuckling Harry’s belt. “What discussion? You tie me up, you do what you want-”

“No,” Harry said, almost sharply. “I do _not_ just ‘do what I want’.”

Eggsy knelt, pulling Harry’s trousers with him. He’d heard the tone but… he didn’t really get it. Cos, well, wasn’t that what this shit was? “No?”

“No, darling. There’s a lot of talk, a lot of figuring out what we both want.” He wrapped his fingers in Eggsy’s hair and gave a light tug; Eggsy groaned and leaned into it. “For example, if you hadn’t liked that, it would have pulled you out of the mood.”

“But I dunno what I want. Ain’t done none of that before.” Eggsy went up onto his knees and pulled Harry’s boxers down. He stared up at Harry’s glorious and naked body; _his husband’s_ body. “You could show me somethin’. Somethin’, I dunno, light, I guess?”

Harry eyed him for a moment and nodded. “Alright. Finish undressing, take care of my clothing, and lay on the bed.”

Eggsy grinned and all but hopped up. He took care of Harry’s clothing first, tossing the shirts and his boxers in the hamper, and hanging the suit up with the others Harry had worn but not sent out yet. He stripped out of his jeans and pants, tossed them in the hamper, and then got on the bed.

Harry had to bite back a grin. Eggsy was so _eager_ and _excited_. Clearly his young husband’s offer had not just been for his benefit. He went over to the bed and curled his fingers under Eggsy’s chin.

“First thing, my darling: do you know what a safeword is?”

Eggsy grinned. “Yeah, that’s where I say somethin’ like ‘cabbage’ to let you know to stop.”

Harry chuckled. “Yes, but it’s a little… mmm… impractical, shall we say. You say that and we stop the scene, but what if you just want me to change what I’m doing? Or you just need a short break? And what if I’m unsure if you’re willing to continue?”

Eggsy stared at him for a moment. They could stop and talk about it, but… if there was something _wrong_ , Harry wouldn’t be able to react as quickly. But if he had a word that meant ‘stop it all right now’, Harry wouldn’t have to ask; he could just stop and work on untying him or whatever and _then_ talk.

“I… guess you wouldn’t know.”

“Exactly,” Harry said as he sat beside Eggsy. “Which is why you’ll find the general suggestion of ‘red’, ‘yellow’, and ‘green’.”

“I get it,” Eggsy nodded. “Like traffic lights.”

“That exactly,” Harry said. “And I will _expect_ you to use them. It will _never_ upset me.”

Eggsy grinned a little shyly. “Alright.”

“Lay back,” Harry said with a slow smile. “And all you have to do… is not cum until I say you may.”

Eggsy laid back with a snort. “Easy.”

Harry’s brow rose. “Is it now?”

“Yeah! I been fucked enough with whoever not carin’ if I cum. I mean, there was times I’d work on my grocery list while bein’ fucked. Think I dunno how to not cum?”

Harry chuckled. “Oh, my dear…” He leaned down and kissed the hollow of Eggsy’s throat. “Hold onto the headboard and do _not_ let go.”

Eggsy grabbed onto the headboard and grinned up at Harry. Harry leaned down and kissed his forehead, his temple, his jaw, and then took his mouth. Eggsy moaned into his mouth, arching up at him. And then he felt Harry’s hand on his cock; felt Harry’s hand wrap around it. Harry started squeezing rhythmically; starting at the head, working up the shaft, and finally releasing. He found himself very quickly shaking as Harry’s hand swallowed him whole over and over again while the man ravished his mouth. 

“Harry…” he whined when his husband gave him a moment to breathe.

Harry laughed softly; it was almost a dark thing that sent heat all through Eggsy’s body. “Not as easy as you thought, pet?”

“Nooo…”

“Are you planning on using a safeword to get out of this because it’s harder than you thought?” Harry asked with a playful grin.

Eggsy gave him a playfully sour look; he _heard_ the not-quite-mocking-you tone Harry was teasing him with. “Doesn’t exactly fall under-” He shrieked a moan as Harry teased the head of his cock. “-under… needin’ a break or… not wanting to…”

“Oh, my good boy,” Harry said softly and kissed his forehead. “Such a good boy.”

Heat of a different kind shot through him at the praise, and the _need_ for more of it. More of that softly rumbled ‘good boy’; more of Harry looking pleased with him like that. And when Harry moved down his body and he felt Harry’s mouth on his cock, he fought all the harder to not cum. Even if… Harry’s mouth was making it so hard to not.

He was moaning and shuddering before long, straining both toward Harry’s mouth and to not cum. He tried to focus on something - _anything_ \- decidedly _un_ sexy to try and keep himself from cumming, but it was like Harry _knew_ when he was doing it. Every time he got something in mind, Harry did something to snap him back into the moment.

He’d been managing it for _ages_ when he felt Harry - slowly and gently - work a single finger into his cunt. He wanted to wonder what Harry was up to, cos… how was _that_ supposed to make it hard for him when he felt so little there? …but it was either follow that path or keep himself from cumming. And it was only a moment later when he felt that finger gently massaging him, gently feeling for his fuckin’ g-spot, and then finding it.

He bit down on a scream as white-hot pleasure burned through him. He bucked up toward Harry, nearly losing his grip on the headboard. Harry had waited until that entire nerve cluster was awake, and aware, and demanding more stimulation before going for it… and Eggsy was kicking the bed, trying so very hard to keep from cumming.

“Harry,” he whimpered. “I can’t… I can’t anymore.”

Harry pushed up from him. “You _can_ , and you _will_ ,” was all he said before taking him back inside his mouth.

Eggsy’s peripheral vision was a blur that was quickly tightening into the sort of tunnel vision one might experience while drunk; as if his struggles to not cum were taking up so much of his brain that it was neglecting other senses. And Harry’s words were beating in his mind, in time with his racing heart. It didn’t get _easier_ , but it was as if that command had become the core of his being; as if every part of him was now fighting to obey Harry. He wasn’t aware that he kept whispering ‘I can’t’ over and over, no more than he was aware that he’d started crying from the simple _need_ for an outlet.

And then Harry pushed up from him again and whispered three glorious words to him: “Cum for me.”

At those words, all of his control snapped and Eggsy came, shuddering and convulsing; his body completely out of his control for the moment. He was still shuddering even after the convulsing passed, even after the initial fuckin’ _tsunami_ of pleasure burst through him and he was riding out the smaller waves of it. And he… felt high as _fuck_ ; like Harry’d just hit him with some really _good_ pot or somethin’. His vision wasn’t back to normal yet and it took him a minute to understand _why_ his hands were aching so badly; he was gripping so tightly onto the headboard that his knuckles were white.

“You may let go now,” Harry said softly.

Eggsy made a soft, somewhat confused, somewhat acknowledging sound that _might_ have been an ‘uh-huh’ at some point in its existence. He let go, his arms flopping down on the bed as if there were no connection between him and his hands. He wasn’t… sure… when Harry had laid down beside him, and he heard Harry’s soft and amused chuckle as the man pulled a blanket over him.

“So good, my pet,” Harry whispered against his temple. “So good, holding on for me like that.”

Eggsy’s half-drunk smile grew at the praise. He muttered something that might have been a ‘thank you’ and then felt Harry pulling him into his arms. Eggsy snuggled in, enjoying the drifty feeling that had come after his orgasm and the feeling of Harry’s arms around him so protectively.

49

A few days later saw Eggsy heading, somewhat hesitantly, to one of the gyms nearby. It hadn’t been the one Harry had suggested, and not just because it had been Harry’s suggestion. Eggsy had found a place that had a child’s program, too. Not in the sense of a child workout, but in the sense that the kids had a place inside where they were watched by staff and were able to run and play with other kids.

He stopped outside of the building, and Daisy looked up at him curiously. He squeezed her hand and gave her a little smile. The windows were tinted, but… he knew that probably everyone in there was a woman. It was a ‘mummy and child’ sort of program, aimed at housewives. He wasn’t really sure if it was _just_ mummies or if house _husbands_ were allowed, too.

He went inside and approached the counter. A quick glance toward the people working out told him that, yeah, it was all women. He would have ducked back out, proverbial tail between his legs, if a woman hadn’t come to the counter almost immediately.

“May I help you?”

‘Yeah, hi, um,” he stammered. “Look, I know this is sorta a mummy program, but I’m a stay-at-home dad…?”

“Oh, that’s not a problem,” she said. “I know we advertise as a mum’s program, but that has more to do with stay-at-home dads not being such a common thing.”

“That’s a relief. Ain’t many places I could take her with me.”

She took him through the paperwork and got him signed up with a membership before showing him around. Members had their own lockers. There was a spa, a steam room, and a sauna. Then she took him to the kids’ area.

There was a good dozen or so kids running around and playing. There were giant foam blocks for fort-building, bean bag chairs and a reading nook, oversized legos, kid-sized tables for coloring among other things.

“Wanna go play with them?”

She grinned up at him and nodded. “Yes!”

He nodded toward the gate and let her run inside. “So when I come to pick her up…?”

“You’ll sign in over there,” she motioned to where an employee was waiting. “You’ll give both of your names and show a photo ID. You’ll need the ID to pick her up, as well.”

He grinned. Not that he expected someone to come in and snatch one of the kids, it was still something of a relief to hear that some rando couldn’t just walk in and take his little sis. He got her all signed him before heading to the men’s lockerroom.

He got changed and went out to the treadmills. He set it to a decent jogging speed - slower than what he’d needed to outrun Dean’s dogs - and ran. It was nice; kinda soothing like. It was a bit before he could feel how the last almost eight months had affected him. He kept it up anyway; he wasn’t gonna overdo it, but he wanted to push himself.

After, he went over to the captain’s chair. He held onto the bars and pushed himself up, and then lifted his legs up. The point had been to work on his abs; he wasn’t exactly vain (not like Harry at any rate), but he had enjoyed how his abs had looked before all the shit happened. Once he had his legs up, he put himself into the L sit position.

It wasn’t exactly an easy position to pull off, but it was one he’d enjoyed when he was still in gymnastics. It required strength through the entire body and the ability to stay in perfect control. He lowered himself back to the bars, held on for a moment, and pushed himself back up. He could feel the burn of it all through his body as he forced his muscles to hold a position they hadn’t in a good ten years. It was a bit before he let himself down with a pleased sigh. It was nice to know he still had that sort of control and strength. 

He got changed and went to get Daisy. They were heading toward the doors when they were stopped by the woman who’d gotten him set up.

“Just out of curiosity, do you have interest in a bar or rings?”

Eggsy looked back into the workout space. “Where, exactly, were those?”

She grinned. “No one ever used them so management took them off the floor, but there’s definitely space enough for one of those. Management would have to put a machine that gets more use into storage if we brought out both.”

“Rings,” he said with a grin. “Definitely them.”

“We’ll try to have them out by your next visit.”

50

Harry had sent him a checklist to work on. It was a fuckin’ _kinky_ checklist. It linked back to where Harry’d gotten it from and… he was kinda surprised something like that existed. Well, at first he was. But things like this would… certainly be helpful, especially if you was looking for dealbreakers and shit. Some of it he just did _not_ get. Like who gets off on playin’ someone’s servant? And how in the hell did ‘rituals’ fit into this shit? Most of it he’d marked down as ‘willing to try’, just cos… what the fuck did he know about most of it?

He was still reading, trying to understand some of the (to his mind) odder ones and what people found interesting about them - mainly objectification and service stuff - when he heard the door open. Daisy jumped up from where she was playing and ran out.

“Hamis’!”

Eggsy heard Merlin laugh softly and then Daisy was giggling. He smiled to himself. Both of them had fallen in love with Daisy; it was another thing he hadn’t expected when this had all started. It was a moment before Daisy came running back in and took up her game again; _just_ Daisy.

Eggsy got up and went out into the entryway. “C’n I… ask you somethin’?”

Merlin nodded. “Of course.”

“I don’t get the whole… service shit,” he offered Merlin his mobile, the checklist pulled up. “I mean… people really get off on that?”

Merlin laughed softly. “It’s… not that, exactly. It’s…” He paused, his head tipping back a little. He looked at Eggsy again after a moment. “Why do you bring Harry a drink every night?”

Eggsy shrugged. “Cos he wants one?”

“Yes, but he could get it himself,” Merlin said. “ _Why_ bring it to him?”

“I dunno,” Eggsy said. “I like to?”

“Why?”

Eggsy shrugged again. “Well… I guess… It makes him happy, and… It makes me feel useful.”

“It makes you feel useful,” Merlin repeated. “You like feeling useful.”

“Well, yeah.”

“It fills a need.”

Eggsy nodded.

“It makes you feel good.”

Eggsy nodded again.

“ _That_ … is a service kink. You enjoy taking care of someone, taking care of their needs.”

“Oh…” He was quiet for a moment. “So the things in that - following orders, behavior rules, shit like that - that’s all stuff I’d probably like?” 

“Very likely,” Merlin said with a nod. “Would you like me to show you something; something to surprise Harry with?”

Eggsy grinned. “Sure.”

Merlin went into the dining room and motioned for him to follow. “When he comes home tonight, meet him at the door with a kiss.”

“Okay.”

“Ask him if he’d like a drink. I assume he’ll say yes,” Merlin said as he set out a brandy glass. “Carry it on the palm of your hand.”

Eggsy picked up the glass and set it on the palm of his hand.

“ _Flat_. Keep your hand flat,” he watched as Eggsy flattened his hand. “Good boy.”

Merlin saw the way Eggsy grinned at the praise. There was another deep-seated need the young man had. It made him wonder just how far Harry would be able to push him. Not in the sense that Harry might want to abuse or mistreat him, but in the sense that Eggsy himself might happily agree to do something he didn’t actually want to for those two words. And while he trusted Harry to recognize the young man’s need for praise, he would still bring it up with him. They might _both_ need to keep an eye on Eggsy for a bit, just to be safe.

“Now, you’ll carry it out to him like that. Use your other hand to steady if it need be, but keep your fingers low on the glass.”

Eggsy nodded. “Alright.”

“When you hand it to him, and I’ll assume him to be in the lounge at this point, bend from the waist and keep your back straight, and then hold it out to him.”

“Like this?”

Merlin watched him and then put a hand on his chest and back to force him to straighten out more. They went through it a couple times until Merlin was satisfied. “Very good.”

Eggsy straightened up with a grin. “So what if he ain’t in the lounge?”

“Bow your head, hold it up to chest height, and offer it to him.”

Eggsy bowed his head and held the glass up to Merlin. “Like this?”

Merlin watched him for a moment. He could _just_ see how Eggsy was biting down on a grin. It made him smile slightly to see Eggsy so… clearly excited about ‘the whole service shit’. “That’s very good.”

Eggsy let the grin break through and returned the glass to where it had been. He wondered how _dumb_ it was to be excited to serve a drink. But he knew _why_ he was excited: that _look_ in Harry’s eyes and those two words.

He realized just how lucky he was that he could trust Harry. But… if he couldn’t trust Harry, would his praise even mean anything to him? He didn’t think it would. That was part of why the praise meant so much from Harry; why it filled a need, as Merlin had put it. Harry was someone who saw that he was worth something.

51

Eggsy and Merlin were on the sofa, Merlin explaining things to Eggsy that he didn’t understand. They heard the door open and Merlin’s brow rose, silently asking if Eggsy was going through with it. Silently asking, and silently reminding him that he didn’t have to.

Eggsy gave him a grin and a wink before getting up. He went out into the entryway and watched as Harry shed his coat and hung it up. He waited until Harry was done and went over to him. He put his arms around Harry’s neck and kissed him, his mouth opening against his husband’s. Harry’s arms slipped around his waist and held him close.

“Welcome home,” he said softly when they broke the kiss.

“What’s this for?”

Eggsy tried to bite down on a grin. He could see in Harry’s eyes that he was quite pleased to have been met with a kiss. He’d… never really thought to do it before; how often had he actually seen that happen (outside of something on telly)? Even without praise or doing it cos he was Harry’s ‘pet’, just the look in Harry’s eyes made him want to make a point of doing it.

“Just… cos.”

“Just because, hm?” Harry kissed him softly, one hand slipping down to squeeze his arse. “I may have to do something to you later _just because_.”

Eggsy shivered against him. Fuck if some things weren’t better than praise. “Do you want a drink?”

Harry’s brow rose and he looked at his watch. “Darling, it’s not even half past four.”

“Ain’t _my_ fault you don’t work whole days on the weekend.”

“Well, I suppose,” Harry chuckled. “But not brandy; that’s an _after_ five drink.”

“Martini?”

Harry nodded once. “Of course.”

Eggsy kissed his lips and then went upstairs to make it. He hadn’t tried carrying a martini glass, so he held it for a moment before filling it. He thought he could do it, he’d just have to hold it about half-way up the stem. That’d be fine. There was probably a proper way to carry a martini glass like this, but Harry or Merlin could show him later.

He made the drink (maybe he didn’t get _why_ a completely dry martini needed stirring, but he did it anyway) and went back downstairs. He paused at the bottom to put the drink on his flattened hand and hold into the stem. He grinned to himself, realizing he was actually nervous and excited over this. _Over serving Harry a fucking drink_.

He bit down on the grin (was he supposed to be stone-faced while doing this? were his eyes supposed to be cast down?) and walked toward the lounge. He pushed all the questions aside and took a breath before actually stepping inside the lounge to bring the drink to Harry.

He kept his steps very even, trying not to rush or seem as overexcited as he felt. He kept his eyes mostly on the drink, wanting to be sure it stayed level and didn’t spill. He stopped just before Harry and bent from the waist, making sure to keep his back as straight as possible. He held the drink out and shifted his gaze enough to look up at Harry.

Harry was just watching him, a little (but pleased) smile playing on his lips. He thought he saw something in Harry’s eyes; something that might go _deliciously_ with whatever Harry was planning on doing to him later ‘just because’.

But then Harry’s eyes met his and… the entire look vanished.

Harry took the drink from him. “Thank you, Eggsy.”

The words were… kinda neutral. Like Harry always sounded appreciative, if nothing else, when he brought him a drink. This was just kinda… kinda like Harry didn’t really care either way. And that kinda hurt.

“Sit down,” Harry said softly.

Eggsy sat down and Harry put an arm around his shoulders. He leaned against Harry, not at all snuggling up to him because he felt kinda hurt. He felt the arm slip down from his shoulders and tighten around him.

“Did you enjoy that? Meeting me at the door with a kiss bringing me a drink that way?”

He shrugged. “I ain’t gotta.”

“I don’t believe that’s what I asked, now was it, pet.”

Eggsy shivered at the way Harry said ‘pet’. It wasn’t angry or annoyed, but it was just a little sharp. Sharp, but warm at the same time. As if Harry was reminding him which of them was the pet, which of them was supposed to be the one obeying.

“No, it ain’t,” he said quietly. “But you didn’t like it, so-”

“I don’t believe I said that,” Harry said. “But I do believe you’re proving my point.”

Eggsy shook his head a little. “What point?”

“That you’re looking to _my_ reaction before your own.”

Eggsy opened his mouth to deny it… and then shut his mouth. Because Harry was _not_ wrong. He’d been excited and happy until he hadn’t seen that returned by Harry. It _had_ felt good to do it, but… he’d _needed_ Harry to enjoy it.

Which… meant Harry needed _him_ to enjoy what he was doing, too.

“...oh.”

Harry chuckled and kissed his temple. “I take it you understand?”

“Yeah. You need me to not just do stuff cos you like it.”

“Good boy,” he said softly.

Eggsy grinned. “Well… I _did_ like it. The, the drink and meeting you at the door. And, well, the way you was lookin’ at me for a moment. Kinda… made me hot.” Eggsy eyed him for a moment. “If I promise I’ll tell you what I feel about something, whether or not you liked it, will you give me your honest reactions when I do somethin’?”

Harry took his hand and kissed the back of it and then his wrist. “Yes, my darling pet. If you will do that, then, yes, I will absolutely give you my honest reactions.”

Eggsy settled in again, and this time he actually wasn’t feeling hurt. He knew it was gonna be hard sometimes, but he could do it. And he had a feeling - a strong feeling - that Harry would reward his honesty. 


	9. Chapter 9

53

Jamal  
  
**Jamal:** You busy Friday?  
  
**Eggsy:** no why  
  
**Jamal:** We going to Little Sichuan  
  
**Eggsy:**? why there  
  
**Jamal:** Was our first date  
  
**Eggsy:** 🤣 ur not goin thru with it  
  
**Jamal:** 🖕🏿  
  
**Eggsy:** u been sayin this for 6 mos mate  
  
**Eggsy:** aint done it yet  
  
**Jamal:** I go through with it, you pay for dinner  
  
**Eggsy:** gladly  
  
**Eggsy:** wen u dont ur gonna owe me  
  
**Jamal:** Deal.  
  
**Eggsy:** wot time  
  
**Jamal:** 6  
  
**Eggsy:** ill get a car from haz  
  
**Jamal:** 😂 You actually get away wit callin him that?  
  
**Eggsy:** fuck no  
  
**Eggsy:** aint never gonna call him that to his face  
  
**Jamal:** 😂 Coward  
  
**Eggsy:** says u  
  
**Eggsy:** ill cu on fri  
  


53

“Anything exciting?”

Eggsy chuckled. “Jamal _says_ he’s proposing finally.”

Harry’s brow rose. “He ‘says’?”

“He’s been sayin’ that for like six months now. After everythin’ with V-Day, he felt like it was too fuckin’ close,” Eggsy said with a grin. “Can I get a car for Friday?”

“Of course, darling. You’re welcome to cover dinner if you like.”

Eggsy laughed. “Yeah, told Jamal I’d do it if he went through with it.”

Harry took his hand and kissed his wrist. He liked that Eggsy was feeling more comfortable with spending money without asking him first. It wasn’t something he ever pointed out - not beyond a kiss when he heard about it - simply because he didn’t want to make Eggsy self-conscious about it.

Eggsy sighed softly. “You start biting and we ain’t getting back on track.”

Harry bit down gently on his wrist. “It would still be on track, technically.”

He hissed a breath. “You know, if _I_ was the one doing this…”

Harry chuckled. “The quintessential difference between the Dom and the sub, my pet: which one can misbehave without consequence.”

“Yeah, but… if we get this finished, we can do more than just misbehave.”

Harry kissed his wrist again and then let go ot him. “You’ve convinced me, darling.”

Eggsy hummed and pulled Harry’s laptop onto his lap. “So why only three months?”

Harry settled beside him. “There are three collars in a D/s relationship.”

Eggsy nodded. “Consideration, which is kinda like dating; Training, which is kinda like bein’ engaged; and Permanent, which is like bein’ married.” Eggsy grinned. “Shouldn’t we start with the Permanent one, then?”

Harry laughed softly and kissed his temple. “Just because we started with marriage doesn’t mean we should start with a Permanent collar.”

“So…? Why three months?”

“It’s the most common timeframe suggested,” Harry said. “It lets us explore this as more than just…”

“Than just like fuck buddies?”

Harry chuckled. “Yes, something like that. And then at the end of the three months, we decide if we want to continue or not, if we want to move onto a Training collar or stay at this stage.”

“Okay. So… date for three months and decide if you wanna date for three months more,” Eggsy said with a nod. “How come ‘limits’ says ‘see attached’?”

Harry reached over and paged through to the end. “As you don’t know what you do or do not like, I thought we could keep sort of an evolving list. We’ll add to it as you learn more, date and initial.”

“Makes sense,” Eggsy nodded and paged through to the next attached. “Rules and Ritu- _Those_ kind of rituals.” He flushed. “I… wasn’t sure what the list meant by rituals. I mean… there’s initiation rites and religions scenes in there, so…”

“There’s nothing wrong with not knowing, darling.”

“So… what kinda rules and shit?”

“Well, you enjoyed meeting me at the door with a kiss and serving me a drink the way you did,” Harry said. “We could have rules that you’re to do that all the time.”

“Yeah, I’m good with that,” Eggsy grinned. “I dunno… what else we wanna, I dunno, start with?”

“I have three suggestions in mind.”

“Alright. Let’s hear ‘em.”

“One: I’ll give you two collars. One for in private, and one you’ll wear at all times.”

Eggsy frowned a little. “Thought you wasn’t supposed to do this sorta stuff where others could see cos they wasn’t consentin’.”

“True, but a public collar isn’t always a collar. A piece of jewelry is a very common one. Admittedly, one is not generally given one before the Training collar, but… I enjoy buying you things.”

Eggsy grinned. “Alright. Won’t say no to that.”

“Two: on Mondays, we will come up here, without your collar, and talk.”

Eggsy frowned a little. “ _Talk_?”

“Yes. If you have things you want to tell me, or I you, that we haven’t already spoken about, we’ll go over those.”

“Okay.”

“And after, you will tell me one of your fantasies, start to end.”

Eggsy watched him for a moment before nodding. “Okay. What if I ain’t got one?”

Harry stroked his cheek. “Then _I_ will pick something off the list and _you_ will come up with something. We’ll talk about if it’s something you’d like to do, or what parts you would like, or how you’d like to translate it into an actual scene.”

Eggsy thought about it for a minute before nodding. “Alright. It… sounds like a good idea. Especially since, you know…”

Harry chuckled. “Merlin and I do it. It isn’t just a thing to do when you’re starting out.”

Eggsy looked a little surprised at that. They’d been together since the 80s. He woulda figured they knew each other’s fantasies forward and back. “Well, then yeah, we’ll do that. What’s the last one?”

Harry kissed his neck. “I’d like to ritualize how we begin a scene, how we put your collar on you.”

“Sure, but… why? I ain’t opposed, just…”

“It will help you put yourself in the proper mindset,” Harry said.

“Alright,” Eggsy said with a nod. “How’re we doin’ it?”

“Mm, I thought I’d show you once we were finished.”

Eggsy grinned while typing. “Fair.” He paged back to where they’d been before the ‘see attached’ and read on. “Punishments…? I don’t… know that I’m okay with that…”

Harry put a hand on the back of his neck and squeezed. “It isn’t like that, darling. Punishments come when you _willingly_ break one of your promises; you don’t do one of your rituals or you break a rule. It does _not_ have to mean corporal punishment.”

“Okay…”

“It is… we discuss why you didn’t do what you’d agreed to. If it’s something outside of your control - say you were sick or Daisy was - then there’s nothing that needs to be done. If it’s that you forgot, that… is on me. That means I’m not reinforcing it properly, that I’m not training you properly.”

Eggsy nodded. “Alright.”

“When you _decide_ to break one, then there is the punishment. I prefer to use something _other_ than corporal punishment,” he said. “Consensual pain is… far more enjoyable than corporal punishment, and it’s been well proved that corporal punishment teaches nothing.”

“So what would _mine_ be?”

“I would have you write lines. A simple ten line set, something to the effect of ‘I agreed to meet’ whatever title you prefer for me.”

“Sir,” Eggsy said softly. “I’d…” He sighed softly. “I’d liked it during basic training.”

Harry laughed softly, took his hand, and kissed his wrist. “It’s a very commonly used one, darling. Even if it wasn’t, I wouldn’t make fun of you for that.”

“Yeah, I know.” He shrugged. “Mostly.”

“Which is why I reminded you,” Harry said. “You line would be ‘I agreed to meet Sir at the door with a kiss to welcome him home every day, without fail’.”

Eggsy eyed him for a moment. “And that’s… it?”

“Well, that’s because the actual punishment is to reinforce what you’re supposed to be doing,” Harry said. “Honestly, in or out of a D/s relationship, being told you’ve disappointed your partner tends to be…”

“The worse fuckin’ thing you can say.”

Harry tipped his head to the side as a half-nod. “Yes, well…”

“No, I get it. If you said you’d kiss me every day before going to work and you just said ‘fuck it’ one day for no reason, it’d… hurt. So yeah, bein’ disappointed? Absolutely understandable. So… what if you’re still upset after?”

Harry shook his head. “That’s the entire point of talking about it, so that there _aren’t_ lingering feelings.”

“Alright, I can get on that.”

He scrolled to the next page and saw that they were at the end. He scrolled back to the top and went over it again. Three months, with the goal of him learning about himself as a submissive; to help that, he was going to keep a journal and let Harry read it at anytime. They were both to be open and honest with each other. He was to put Harry’s desires before his own and accept Harry’s control. Harry was to be in control and responsible, but not just for things while they were in scenes; Harry was to be responsible for his mental and physical wellbeing. And Eggsy thought it made sense. He _was_ kinda putting himself completely in Harry’s hands.

“That’s… everything then.”

“Yes, it is,” Harry nodded. “Are you satisfied with it all?”

“Yeah,” Eggsy said. “Now, I… guess we print it off and sign it.”

“I thought we could sign it on the first,” Harry said.

Eggsy smiled slowly. “Don’t wanna wait ‘til the fourteenth? Have the whole resign be on Valentine’s day?”

Harry kissed the top of his head. “Depending on what needs to be reworked, it could take a few days. We could do the actual signing on Valentine’s day, if you wanted.”

“I’d like that,” Eggsy said softly.

It would give him something good for that day. It wouldn’t just be the day his mum died; wouldn’t just be the day his world started falling apart. Assuming they moved on to the ‘engagement’ portion, it would be the day he gave himself to Harry as more than just his husband. It felt… more special to him, and probably because it was something he wanted _with Harry_ and not something he had wanted for safety.

54

The restaurant didn’t look much different than the last time he’d been there. Still the mirrors along the walls just above the half booths that ran across the room. Still the red curtains, booths, and red conical lamps hanging from the ceiling. It wasn’t exactly the cheapest of places, even if it _was_ only a few minutes from the estates.

They went into the restaurant’s second seating area. This area was nothing but round tables and they sat around one. The tables in this area were £24 a head, but worth it; it was unlimited hot pot. This was their special occasion place; it was good food, good beer, good company.

They were there for hours, making their way through plates of meat, plates of vegetables. They hadn’t been here since before V-Day. But there also hadn’t really been much to celebrate since then. Sure, there’d been his engagement and his wedding, but he’d still been… kinda nervous then, or he woulda dragged them here for those.

Several times during the meal, Eggsy caught Jamal’s eye and gave him a curious amd falsely innocent look.. Every time Jamal shot him a look that _very_ clearly said ‘I’m working up to it’. But by the time the bill came, Jamal _still_ hadn’t said a word. Liam excused himself to the loo and Jamal smirked at Eggsy.

“Ma’am,” he called to the waitress. “Could we get a head’s worth to go? We’ll pay, a’course.”

“Um, we really… aren’t supposed to.”

Jamal just grinned at her. “Can you ask?” He nodded at Eggsy. “My friend’s good for it.”

She disappeared into the back and came out, just a few moments later, with a tray of hand-sized fortune cookies. “The owner says that’s fine and said I’m supposed to hand these out.” She asked their names, one-by-one, and handed each of them one of the plates with a cookie on it before leaving them.

Eggsy’s brow rose and he looked at Jamal. “Custom cookies? _Really_?”

“Fuck off,” Jamal said.

“Lemme guess,” Eggsy said. “Mine says ‘you will be paying for dinner’?”

“Might just.”

It wasn’t long after that Liam rejoined them. He eyed the giant fortune cookies curiously as he sat.

“Didn’t know this place did these.”

“Oh, they don’t,” Jamal said with a grin. “Eggsy, Ryan, and Brandon gotta open theirs first.”

The three of them exchanged looked and cracked theirs open. They read their fortunes, exchanged grins, and then looked at Jamal. Theirs had all read: Be our best men, yeah?

“Obviously.”

“‘course.”

“Did you have to ask?”

Liam rose his brow at Jamal. “I take it I’m next?”

“Yeah.”

Liam picked his up and something moved inside. He grinned, cracked it open, and tipped the ends toward the plate. A very simple gold ring clattered onto it. He leaned over and kissed Jamal.

“That a ‘yes’, then?”

“Obviously, it’s a ‘no’,” he teased. “Fuckin’ wanker.” He picked up the ring and cleaned off the residue from the cookie. “Well, go on. Put it on me all proper like.”

Jamal took it from him and slid it on his finger. “It’s… the one you was lookin’ at.”

“I see that.”

“So what’s yours say, then?” Eggsy asked as he took out his card and put it with the bill.

“Says you’re payin’ for dinner.”

55

Eggsy was waiting upstairs, in their bedroom. Harry had told him to go upstairs… probably only five minutes ago, but it felt like twenty. He’d undressed and gotten his collar. It was a simple leather collar with a D-ring on the front and a locking buckle. It was his first, Harry had told him. The next would be nicer, and the permanent one… well, Harry’d said he already had ideas for what it would be.

It had made him feel so good, so _wanted_. Harry was already planning on the permanent collar. He was planning on it even though they only really knew he had a service kink. Eggsy figured, if nothing else, he could do those things for Harry.

He was sitting how Harry had wanted him to. Well, _kneeling_. He was at the foot of the bed, in plain sight of the door. He had his legs spread and his hands on his thighs. His collar was draped over his right thigh, his fingers over it. His head was bowed and his eyes closed.

He heard the door open and he bit down on the urge, on the _need_ , to look up and see who was coming in. He knew it was Harry, but he’d lived so long with Dean that it was a hard, hard thing. He had a feeling that part of his being told to keep his eyes closed until Harry said otherwise was just that; to try and make his mind accept that he didn’t _have_ to always react as if he were in danger.

It took him a moment to remember what he was supposed to do, and then he picked up his collar in both hands. He held it with his palms up. He lifted it up so it was just above his head, offering it and his submission to Harry.

It was a few minutes before he felt Harry take it from him. He shifted his legs so he’d be stable and went up onto his knees. He put his hands behind his back, crossing his wrists, and lifted his head enough so Harry could get the collar around his neck easily. He felt it buckle and then Harry’s fingers slipping down to the ring. Harry took it and pulled it up; Eggsy let his head tip back.

It was a good minute before Harry spoke. “You may open your eyes now, pet.”

Eggsy opened his eyes and grinned up at Harry, at the man he was giving himself to again.

“You were so good, pet,” Harry said and then kissed him. “So good and so lovely on your knees, waiting for me.”

“I liked it.”

“I’m very happy to hear that, pet,” he said. “I wouldn’t force you to do something you disliked, but I _am_ glad that will be the sight I always come in to.”

Eggsy felt himself flush, and not just his face. It was like a whole body flush. It wasn’t exactly a sexual reaction; it was a different type of heat and want. Part of it was the praise, but part of it was knowing that he was currently the sole source of Harry’s pleasure; that his obedience and his willingness to serve was making Harry happy.

“Over to Merlin’s laptop, pet,” Harry said. He saw Eggsy start to get to his feet. “No, pet; you’ll crawl for me. You’re going to be sitting at my feet anyway.”

Eggsy’s face flushed all the more. “Yes, Sir,” he said.

He leaned down onto his hands. It was only a few feet to Merlin’s work nook and then just a bit farther to the chair. He could do this. And, well, if he couldn’t, he could always safeword out of it. He smiled a little at the thought.

“Pet.” The single word was soft, gentle, and clearly meant to call for his attention rather than prompt him. “If you don’t think you can do it, I _will_ understand.”

Eggsy nodded. He opened his mouth to say something and then closed it.

“Tell me.” That was not so soft and gentle.

“I just… I know I ain’t supposed to tell you how to do things… but I think it’d be easier if I was crawlin’ _to_ you rather than away.”

Harry carded a hand through Eggsy’s hair and gave it a soft tug. “Good boy,” he said before going over to the chair and sitting. “Come here, pet.”

Eggsy smiled a bit at the command. It _was_ a command, but it was softer. And the look on Harry’s face… That helped. A lot. Because he could _see_ that Harry was enjoying him. It still felt sorta embarrassing to have to crawl, but he could get past that now.

He took his first couple steps and then looked up at Harry. The look on Harry’s face wasn’t… exactly lust. That was there, sure, but so was that _look_ Harry got in his eyes when he was submitting to him. That look of pleased dominance that sent shivers down his spine 

He stretched out his crawl, arching his back and moving almost languidly. He heard Harry groan and he smirked. He got to Harry, knelt at his feet, and lay his head in Harry’s lap. He wasn’t high enough to feel it, but he’d _seen_ the bulge Harry was sporting under his trousers.

He really, _really_ hoped Harry planned on fucking him after this.

“So lovely, my pet,” Harry sighed, running his hand through Eggsy’s hair. “So lovely and obedient.”

Eggsy moved his head just enough to look up at Harry. “Could suck you off, if you wanted, Sir.”

Harry laughed softly. “Once we’re done here.”

Eggsy laughed. “What’s to do? We sign a page and that’s it.”

“No, pet,” he said. “First, we go over the attached pages, initial and date at the current bottom of the lists. Then we both read through it and sign it.”

“But… I _know_ what it says.”

“Darling, you should always read whatever you’re signing, legally binding or not.”

Eggsy made a show of rolling his eyes. “Oh, alright.”

They went over the attached pages; Harry had added in the hard and soft limits from Eggsy’s checklist, all eleven of them. They initialed the pages and then Eggsy read through the contract again. There wasn’t anything that hadn’t been there when they’d gone through it, but it _did_ bring a more recent question to mind.

“I, um… Question?”

“What, pet?”

“So I was reading this thing about D/s relationships and… it said I’m supposed to be your servant, that I’m supposed to give up all rights and control, and I should be callin’ you Master, not Sir.”

Harry brow rose slightly. “You’re certain that was _D_ /s and not _M_ /s?”

Eggsy nodded. “Yeah.”

Harry sighed slowly, the annoyance clear in the sound. “It sounds like they were writing about a Total Power Exchange relationship, and while I suppose it could be a D/s relationship… saying that you’re supposed to be calling me Master implies an M/s relationship. They are… different.” He shook his head and then stroked Eggsy’s cheek. “You’re only giving up what you agreed to, darling. You will only serve me as far as you agree to.”

“Okay,” Eggsy said and then signed. “I just… wanted to be sure I wasn’t gettin’ into something I didn’t think I was.”

Harry leaned down and kissed the top of his head. “That’s a very wise thing to do, darling. You don’t have any other questions?”

Eggsy shook his head. “But then… I don’t really know enough to know _what_ to ask about.”

“Well… if you have any, you _will_ ask them.”

Eggsy grinned. “Yes, Sir.”

“Good boy,” Harry said. He picked up the contract and went over to where Merlin kept a few files. He stuck it inside a file folder and pushed it to the front of the rack. “Merlin’s given us permission to keep it here, that way either of us can access it at anytime.”

“Sounds good.”

“There’s one last thing before you suck my cock.”

Eggsy’s brow rose. He wasn’t sure what this last thing was, but… if the look on Harry’s face said anything, he was going to enjoy himself.

56

“The light’s best here,” Harry said, standing in a spot between the bed and the door. “Come here.”

Eggsy debated for a second before crawling over to him and kneeling at his feet. Really, the look on Harry’s face - that pleased, dominant look - made it all worth it. “Light enough for what?”

“You _could_ have gotten up, pet,” Harry said with a little smirk. “Although I can’t say it doesn’t please me that you crawled to me.”

Eggsy grinned. “Well, you like it and… I’m kinda undecided.”

“Well… if you decide you don’t like it…”

“I’ll tell you and it’ll go on the limits list.”

“Good boy,” he said. He took his mobile out. “I’m going to take four pictures of you. Put your hands on your thighs and look up at me.”

Eggsy shifted back a little so he could sit back on his heels. He put his hands on his thighs and looked up at Harry. He watched Harry take a half-step to the side and tipped his head enough to keep looking up at him. 

“Such a good boy,” Harry whispered.

The praise made him grin and then the flash came.

“Cheating.”

Harry knelt and stroked his cheek. “Not when _I’m_ the one doing it.” He showed Eggsy the picture. “Look at how lovely you are.”

Eggsy laughed a little uncomfortably and looked away. “I guess.”

“ _Look_ ,” Harry said.

Eggsy looked back at the picture of him, on his knees, looking up at the camera with so much adoration and… well… love in his eyes. He could still see the scars from his chest surgery, but he thought that might be because he knew where they were.

But… well… he could see where he’d put on weight since moving in with Harry. He was probably an actually healthy weight now that he was eating more than once a day and didn’t have to worry if Dean was gonna pitch a fit and throw supper across the room. His skin wasn’t bruised from Dean’s latest beating, or from a John gettin’ too rough with him. And… well, there was the fact that he looked happy. The way Harry had him posed and the angle he’d taken the picture from nicely hid any sign that he’d been a girl once.

“It’s… a good picture of me.”

“Good boy,” Harry said softly and pressed a kiss to his temple. He would undo the damage Dean and his life before this had caused one bit at a time if he could. “Get on the bed, pet.”

Eggsy got on the bed and waited while Harry went through a trunk in the walk-in closet. Harry came back with a set of wrist and ankle cuffs, a short leash, and a bar that he left at the foot of the bed. Eggsy rose a brow at Harry but let Harry put the cuffs on him and then clip the leash to his collar.

“Curl your legs to the side and lean on your hands.” Harry waited for him to obey. “Tip your head to the side.” He lifted up the end of the leash and held it out to Eggsy. “Hold it in your teeth, pet.”

He eyed Eggsy for a moment and then gave a gentle tug on the leash, pulling it so the end of the handle was even with the slack. He took a few moments, adjusting Eggsy’s head just a little; his hands so they were almost touching; his legs so that top ankle was behind the bottom. And then he took the picture.

Eggsy opened his mouth enough to let the leash drop. “Don’t think that was too feminine?”

“Darling, we are taught to believe that sensual and sexual poses are feminine,” he said and unclipped the leash. “And even if were, it’s for _my_ eyes and _I_ see you as a man.”

Eggsy flushed lightly and grinned. “Well… s’long as you’re the only one seein’ it.”

“I would never show any of them without your explicit permission,” Harry said softly. “I _would_ like your permission to show the first one to a gentleman I know.”

Eggsy watched him pick up the bar. “So… who?”

“A friend in the community.”

“The _what_ now?”

Harry laughed softly. “The local kink community.”

“There’s a fuckin’ _community_ for this shit?”

“Absolutely. Merlin and I used to attend parties fairly regularly. I don’t think we’ve been to one in… three years now.”

“And you… wanna show me off?”

“Yes,” Harry said with a nod. “It would be that picture and _only_ that picture.”

Eggsy thought for a moment before nodding. “Sure.”

“You do realize you don’t need to say ‘yes’?”

“Mm-hmm,” Eggsy said. “But… I trust you. You wouldn’t show it to someone that’d like… use it against you or me. And it’s someone you know. So… yeah, you can.”

“Thank you, pet,” Harry said before leaning toward him and kissing him. “Lay on your stomach and leave that lovely arse of yours in the air.” He watched as Eggsy move how he instructed and then reached in between Eggsy’s legs to stroke his cock. “Spread your legs. A little more. Yes, darling, like that. 

He clipped the bar to Eggsy’s ankles and then took his wrists and clipped them to the ends of the bar.

“Want me to look back at you?”

“Yes, pet, that would be perfect.”

Eggsy shifted how he was laying and looked back at Harry. The side of his head was on the bed and he raised his arm up enough so that he could have a clear view of Harry. He was bound and utterly at Harry’s mercy… and he was enjoying it. He actually _wanted_ Harry to climb on top of him.

Harry took the picture and then just looked at the sight before him; of Eggsy bound and helpless, but with a saucy little smirk. There was no fear in his eyes, only willing excitement. He fondled Eggsy again and let his hand slip upward. He traced the rim of Eggsy’s arsehole with his thumb.

“I’m going to fuck you like this sometime, my pet.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Would you like that?”

“Yes, Sir. Very much.”

“If I didn’t already have plans for you, pet…” He unhooked Eggsy’s wrists and ankles from the bar. “Undress me.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Eggsy got up and started undressing Harry. He slowly pulled the knot on the tie until it was loose, and then he untied it and pulled it off of him. He let it drop to the floor and gave Harry an almost challenging look.

“Pet…”

“I’ll pick it up,” he said with a grin. “Cos I oughta take care of you first, right? _Sir_?”

“As long as you pick it up.”

He moved around behind Harry and slid his suit jacket off. _That_ he didn’t just let fall to the floor; _that_ he hung up immediately. He went back to Harry and continued his slow stripping of his husband. He went to Harry’s button-down; undershirt; dress socks; trousers; and boxers. The trousers had been hung up with the suit jacket; the rest had been put in a quasi-neat pile.

And then he sat on his knees, looking up at Harry, at Harry’s body. This had never been a position he’d liked before Harry. But then… who had ever looked down on him with the combined lust and… and maybe love that Harry did? Who had ever had him on his knees, willing to suck their cock, _and_ had cared about him?

“Fourth picture?” Eggsy asked, going up onto his knees.

He took Harry’s cock into his mouth without waiting for an answer. He sucked on Harry until he was fully erect and then pulled off of him enough to easily look up at him. There was a clear smirk in his eyes as he ran his tongue along the underside of the shaft.

Harry brought the phone up and took the picture. Certainly, this _was_ an image he could have anytime, but… the little smirk in Eggsy’s eyes, the clear enjoyment of what he was doing. There was just something very arousing about being allowed to capture that.

He set his mobile aside and let that hand slip into Eggsy’s hair. He didn’t push Eggsy’s head against his body; he just followed the teasingly slow rhythm his young husband had set. He let his head tip back and his eyes slip shut, letting himself be swept away by the feeling of Eggsy’s hands, one toying with his bollocks, one on his arse; of the muffled, lusty sounds coming from him; of that talented little mouth of his.

The pleasure built slowly within him, and it was some time before he was rocking his hips towards Eggsy’s mouth. His hand slowly tightened in Eggsy’s hair and his cries were soft sighing things. A quiet oath fell from his lips as he came.

He looked down at Eggsy, hand slipping from his hair to cup his cheek. “Tell me what you’d like, my pet.”

Eggsy tipped his head against Harry’s hand. There were a few things he wanted, like being bound to that bar again and fucked mercilessly. But… that wasn’t something Harry was gonna be up for tonight. His mind settled on something else and he felt the heat in his cheeks; he looked away from Harry.

“Tell me,” Harry said, his voice firm.

Eggsy was quiet for a moment before sighing softly and looking up at him again. “It’s… kind of a girl thing. An’ I know you’ll just tell me that it don’t matter cos you ain’t gonna look at me as one.”

“Good boy,” Harry said, smiling softly at him.

“I kinda…” He shrugged. “I want… you to hold me. With the collar still on.” He shrugged again and looked away. “Told you it was girly.”

Harry knelt down and gently made Eggsy look at him. He kissed his husband’s forehead, his cheeks, his lips. “So good telling me that,” he whispered. “So very good.”

Eggsy felt himself flushing again, and felt the pleased grin trying to surface.

“There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be held, pet. Nothing.” He kissed his lips again. “Come to bed with me, and I’ll hold you until you fall asleep.”


	10. Chapter 10

57

Eggsy carried Daisy inside. She was out cold, her head on his shoulder. They’d had a playdate at the park with a couple women from the gym. There had been plans for a late tea afterward, but the four kids had worn each other out. It felt sorta weird havin’ lady friends, especially he was kinda up to three now (not that Roxy was much of a ‘lady’).

He shrugged inwardly as he went upstairs. It wasn’t like it bothered Harry that he had lady friends. He stopped, feet on different stairs, as it hit him what he felt weird about. It was Harry; Harry wasn’t objection’. Dean never let his mum have male friends unless they were his.

He shook his head and started moving again, wondering how many times he was gonna run into the ‘Dean woulda beat mum for this’ thought; how many times he wasn’t even gonna realize it at first. Probably a lot.

He heard noise in the bedroom as he passed by to put Daisy in bed. He got her shoes, socks, and jeans off, and then tucked her into bed. She’d barely stirred for it and he grinned. Loud noises would wake her up instantly, but someone touching her? That had never been a threat; she’d never woken up to being beat on for some damn thing.

He kissed her forehead, got a very sleep slurred ‘ni’ E’sy’, and went down the hall to his bedroom. Harry was inside, if the light on in the walk-in was any indication. There was an open suitcase on the bed and a few suits in garment bags beside it.

“Work trip?” he called.

“Hello, darling,” came Harry’s voice from inside the walk-in. “And yes, work trip.”

“Need help?”

“That would be lovely. There’s a bag under the sink - the red one, not the black one; could you get that for me?”

“Yeah.”

He went into the en suite and looked in the cabinet under the sink. He saw the black bag - neat, sensible, clearly Merlin’s - and the red one. It wasn’t red; it was _red_. The thing was so bright he thought it might glow. It had gold trim and… it wouldn’t have been bad looking if the color were a bit muted. As is, it was ‘mildly obnoxious’ and Eggsy grinned at it.

He brought it into the bedroom. Harry was out of the walk-in, getting his necessities organized in the suitcase. He handed the bag over and stepped in for a quick kiss.

“If I’d known you was gonna be home this early, I’d-a made sure to be home.”

Harry paused, his hand still over the suitcase, and looked at Eggsy. “Why?”

“Well… cos I’m supposed to greet you when you get home.”

“No,” Harry said, his voice firm but not angry. “You do not need to arrange your life around mine. If you’re not here when I arrive, then you’re not here. I’d much rather you enjoy yourself.”

Eggsy grinned. “Why you so good to me?”

Harry slipped an arm around his waist and pulled him in for another, longer kiss. “You deserve no less.”

It rose in Eggsy to tell Harry that he loved him; it rose, and he pushed it away. It wasn’t that he thought it was still too early. He’d known Harry for the better part of three months ( _seventy-nine days_ , his mind corrected). He just… didn’t want to ruin what they had… well, less _ruin_ it and more ‘give Harry the last opening to start the abuse’. Cos what else had love always meant for him? Love meant getting between his mum and Dean; love meant his mum crying as Dean screamed at her; love meant _Dean_ crying his fake tears and begging for another chance when she’d still been able to leave him. He didn’t want ‘love’ to mean that with Harry.

“What time you gotta leave?”

“Right now, honestly,” Harry said. “I texted Dave earlier and asked him to stay once he’d dropped you off.”

Eggsy stepped out of his arms and let Harry finish packing before following him downstairs. “D’you know how long?”

Harry sighed softly and shrugged. “I have no idea. It’s our first join mission with our American brethren.”

“America’s got Gentlemen Spies?” Eggsy asked around a disbelieving laugh.

“They’re _hardly_ gentlemen,” Harry said with a grin. “As it is our first time trying something like this, Champ-”

“ _Champ_?!”

“Short for Champagne; all of the Statesmen are named for alcohol.”

Eggsy stared at him for a moment. “Champagne ain’t even American. And why go with-”

Harry held up one hand. “I have asked myself that a number of times and I have never come up with a decent answer.”

“Why not ask Champers?”

Harry bit down on a laugh at that; Merlin had grumbled that same moniker over their feed once or twice. “That would be a _bit_ rude, don’t you think?”

Eggsy shrugged. “I’d do it.”

Harry gave him a pointed look, which did little more than make Eggsy laugh. “I shouldn’t be gone more than ten days to two weeks. Merlin may be working longer hours, as he’ll be acting as the main handler for myself and the agent coming with me.”

“Just me an’ Daise, huh? Wild parties every night.”

“There’s a number for a cleaning service in with the emergency numbers.”

Eggsy gave him a playfully sour look. “Just had to ruin it.”

“Absolutely.”

Harry gave him a soft kiss and Eggsy saw him to the door. Eggsy saw Dave coming up from the car to help Harry with his things.

“Love you,” he said without thinking as he started to close the door.

He stopped, eyes going wide, and saw Harry turning to look at him. He shut the door - well, more _slammed_ it - and then stared at it.

“Fuck,” he whispered.

Well, it was out. He’d know in ten-days-to-two-weeks how it would change things. Maybe, by then, he could pass it off as just habit or some shit like that. Maybe. _Fuck_.

58

Harry had been right; Merlin had been coming home closer to eight or nine lately. Which - after some unintentional prompting from Jamal - had given him time to do a little snooping. He’d spent most of the day in Harry’s office. He knew Harry kept bills and important mail in the left side drawer (he kept a month’s worth of unread _Sun_ papers in the right). He’d been going through them, fairly rapidly at that. He’d scan one page, not find what he needed, and go onto the next. When the office didn’t give him what he wanted, he moved into the bedroom and went through the few files Merlin kept in the house.

He was nearly through them when he heard the door downstairs. He quickly put the pages he had back in their folder and put everything back as it had been. He went downstairs, trying not to look guilty.

“You’re home early.”

Merlin just looked at him blandly for a moment. “There are hidden cameras in Harry’s office.”

Eggsy tipped his head back and groaned. “Shoulda figured that. Guessin’ your files have an alarm on them somewhere?”

Merlin’s brow rose. “You went through _my_ files?”

“I wasn’t actually readin’ ‘em! I was… lookin’... for somethin’.”

Merlin crossed his arms and stared silently at Eggsy. Eggsy realized very quickly how dangerous Merlin could be if he had a mind to it. He could see the anger in those hazel eyes, but this wasn’t like the anger he’d seen in Dean’s so many times. This was cold, calculating anger that wouldn’t hit repeatedly; it would strike once and that would be all it would need.

Eggsy had to fight down a shudder. “I was lookin’ for your name. That’s all.”

The anger in Merlin’s eyes was quickly replaced with curiosity. “Why?”

“Cos. Well.” He sighed and then shrugged. “I realized I only know ‘Hamish’ and not your surname. I didn’t wanna ask. Kinda… felt dumb for not having picked it up yet.”

Merlin started laughing. “You haven’t ‘picked up on it’ because yeh haven’t heard it.”

He walked toward the lounge and motioned for Eggsy to follow. He sat on one end of the sofa and waited for Eggsy to join him. Eggsy sat on the other end, watching Merlin curiously, because the anger had been there, so very there, and then just… vanished.

“You’re not… mad anymore?”

“No, lad, I’m not,” Merlin said with a chuckle. “I’m very protective of what, and who, is mine.”

“I get it,” Eggsy said with a nod. “So… why ain’t I heard it?”

“Are you familiar with _1984_?”

Eggsy shrugged. “Read most of it once. Never finished it though.”

“Then you know what an ‘unperson’ is?”

“Yeah,” Eggsy said nodding. “It’s someone who…” his eyes widened with understanding. “Someone who, for all intents and purposes, don’t exist. No records, no files, nothin’.”

Merlin nodded. “Exactly that.”

“Is that… like is that _part_ of bein’ Merlin?”

“Not at all,” Merlin said shaking his head. “There was… something that happened. Both of my parents had passed by then and we didn’t have any close family. So it wasn’t hard to make me not exist.”

“But why? Why not just fake your death or some shit?”

Merlin watched him for a moment and Eggsy had the definite feeling that Merlin was debating something. He wasn’t sure if it was a matter of trust or danger or what.

“You ain’t gotta tell me.”

“I will,” Merlin said after a moment. “Just not today. It’s a… somewhat involved story.”

“Alright. That’s fair.”

Merlin was quiet for a moment. “What started this, anyway?”

“Well… Jamal and Liam? They’re havin’ a small ceremony and they’re only allowin’ plus-ones. But… they don’t want to make me pick between Harry and Daise, and have you feelin’ left out when, you know…” He shrugged. “They didn’t just… wanna put yours in with mine.”

Merlin smiled softly. “That’s… very nice of them, but just sending them together will be fine.”

“Alright,” Eggsy said, a grin forming. “I’ll just tell ‘em to address it to ‘Messrs. Hart’.”

59

It was only a few days before Harry was supposed to be home. It was late, really late, and Eggsy was considering heading up to bed even though Merlin wasn’t home yet. He’d just shut the TV off when he heard the door open.

“Hey,” he called as he got up. He went to the doorway and Merlin looked tired. “You want a drink or dinner or somethin’?”

“Drink would be nice.”

Eggsy nodded toward the lounge. “Go sit down.”

Eggsy got him a glass of scotch, and one for himself, and joined him. He gave Merlin his glass before settling beside him on the sofa. He watched as Merlin drained the glass in a draught and then lean his head against the back of the sofa.

“Rough night?”

“ _Active_ night,” he said. “Everything came to a head tonight; mission’s over. Harry’s staying a few extra days, but he ought to be home Wednesday night.”

“How’s he doin’?”

“Tired. Been stressed out,” Merlin said. “It isn’t that he’s incapable of following another’s direction; it’s what differences there are between our people and theirs. He’s been having to trust the life of our agent to people we’ve never worked with like this before.”

“Everythin’ go well?”

“Oh, yes. Mission was a success, no casualties on our part,” Merlin said. He was quiet for a few moments before sitting up properly. “Harry and I spent… quite some time talking tonight.”

“Oh?” Eggsy’s eyes narrowed. He wasn’t sure what about the mission had led to him. Cos something must have brought them around to him; why else was Merlin bringing this up?

“Harry and I have this… thing… we do. Once a week, I’ll have him-”

“Tell you a fantasy start to finish,” Eggsy finished for him. “Yeah, we’ve done it… once now. But it’s supposed to be a weekly thing. Guessin’ he wants a threesome?”

“Yes,” Merlin said with a laugh. “Although it _is_ a bit more in depth than that.”

“I’m good with it,” Eggsy said with a shrug. “Kinda figured Harry’d want one eventually.”

Merlin's brow rose. “You’re not even going to ask what the entire scene is?”

“Oh,” Eggsy said, his eyes widening slightly. “I didn’t… realize it was a kinky fantasy. Figured it was just, you know, got a husband and a boyfriend, why don’t we all fuck.”

“You _are_ aware that you don’t have to agree to this?”

Eggsy nodded. “Yeah, but… when I first told Harry that I was okay with him still bein’ with you, I kinda accepted that as just somethin’ that was gonna happen. Guess I just never… thought beyond that.”

“Alright,” Merlin said with a slow nod. “Why don’t I tell you what the fantasy entails, you tell me if you’re willing or not, and we’ll go from there? And I will tell you right now, there’s no point in agreeing to it just to please Harry. If you aren’t enjoying it, he won’t be enjoying you.”

“Then… tell me.”

“It’s basically a cuckolding fantasy. He wants to be ‘forced’ to watch me fuck you. Ideally, he’d like you to be tied up somehow, so that you can’t resist me. After I’m done with you, I’ll bring you off repeatedly. When I feel I’ve done enough, I’ll untie Harry and bring him over to you, and ‘force’ him to go down on you until it hurts. At that point, I will make him fuck you and bring you off a few more times.”

Merlin saw how Eggsy shifted; how he sat up a little straighter, how his legs pulled in slightly, the sharp intake of breath. And he could see the redness creeping up the young man’s neck. Eggsy was, well, clearly more than just interested.

“I guess I could be… alright with that.”

“As is?”

“Yeah, I mean. Well.” Eggsy was quiet for a moment before shrugging. “The whole… forced to cum until it hurts thing… That’s a, um, _long_ -standing fantasy.”

“Is Harry aware of that?”

Eggsy shook his head. “No, it. I. I ain’t never done this whole… talking about fantasies with someone thing before Harry, and that one’s… I dunno. Kinda selfish, I guess?”

“Oh, lad, believe me, you won’t be the only one enjoying it,” Merlin said with a soft laugh. “Any concerns?”

“Well… the whole bit about me being tied up… Is that- Am I- Is it supposed to be that you’re forcing me into it?”

“I hadn’t planned on it,” Merlin said. “Do you _want_ it to be?”

“No.”

“Then it certainly won’t be,” he said. “For a number of people, being tied up isn’t about being forced or even about being restrained. It’s about giving yourself permission to enjoy whatever’s happening. You’re tied up, so you can’t do anything about it, may as well enjoy it. It’s the same reason some people moan and yell more when they’re gagged. That’s the sort of role it’s intended for here.”

“Oh, I get it.”

“Are you going to be able to enjoy my touching you? Fucking you? Kissing you?”

“I…” 

He stared at Merlin. Sure, the man was fuckin’ fit but… he’d never actually thought about fuckin’ him. Not beyond just filing it away that Harry was probably gonna want a threesome eventually. And now he was being asked _to_ think about that. About hearing that soft brogue above him, the feel of hands - undoubtedly rougher than Harry’s own - on him; the feeling of unfamiliar lips on his, on his skin.

“Come here,” Merlin said softly.

Eggsy scooted closer to Merlin, uncertainty in his eyes. 

“I’m not going to touch below your waist,” Merlin said.

He reached out and stroked Eggsy’s cheek with the back of his hand, intently watching how the younger man reacted to it. He watched as Eggsy’s eyes closed and let his hand slip down the younger man’s cheek, lightly dragging his thumb as he went. Merlin caught Eggsy’s lip and Eggsy let his mouth open even as Merlin’s hand slipped down to his throat. He watched Eggsy’s head tip back and he trailed his hand lower, down his chest, down his abs, and slid his fingers under Eggsy’s shirt.

“You do know,” Eggsy said without looking back at Merlin, “I wouldn’t let you do this if it wasn’t for Harry.”

“Do you want me to stop?”

“Didn’t say that.”

“Is it making you uncomfortable?”

Eggsy looked at him. “I wouldn’t fuck around on him. That’s all.”

Merlin smiled slowly. “I know that, and so does Harry.”

“Good,” Eggsy said. “You c’n keep goin’.”

Merlin watched him for a moment before nodding and slipping his hand under Eggsy’s shirt. He felt the younger man’s abs jump as he slid his hand up, bringing Eggsy’s shirt with it. Eggsy leaned forward enough to let Merlin take his shirt off. Merlin ran his hands along Eggsy’s bare shoulders, his chest, his abs.

“Are you still alright?”

“Yeah.”

Merlin slid his hands to Eggsy’s side and pulled Eggsy into his arms. Eggsy went against him willingly, putting his own hands on Merlin’s chest and sliding them up to his shoulders. This was… ridiculously erotic and he wasn’t sure why. Sure, Merlin was attractive; really attractive. But there was something so… so _intimate_ about this slow exploration. There wasn’t - as far as he was aware - any intention of sex. Just… exploring and seeing if they liked it.

Merlin leaned close to him and pressed his cheek to Eggsy’s own. Eggsy sighed softly at the smell of his aftershave, and then felt lips on his ear, his jaw, his neck. He let his head fall back, letting Merlin have better access to him. He felt Merlin kiss the hollow of his throat and then the lips were gone.

“Still alright?”

“Mm-hmm.”

Merlin slid one hand up Eggsy’s chest and to his cheek. He watched Eggsy for a moment - watched his eyes, his slightly parted lips, his loose posture - and then leaned forward and kissed him. It was soft and gentle; a simple first kiss. Merlin pulled away enough to look into Eggsy’s eyes; to silently ask if he was alright; if he could move forward. Eggsy nodded and Merlin kissed him again. Eggsy’s mouth opened against his, and he tasted Eggsy and shared his breath.

Eggsy’s arms wrapped around Merlin’s neck, pulling the man tighter against himself. He didn’t even think about it; he just _did_ it. He liked the feeling of Merlin’s cardigan against his chest; of his hard muscled, soft covered arms around him; the lingering taste of the scotch on his breath. He felt Merlin pulling away and made a soft sound.

“I think you’ll enjoy yourself,” Merlin said quietly.

“Mm-hmm,” Eggsy looked up at him, a softly content smile on his lips. Fuck, he kinda… wanted to take it further. He wasn’t… sure if he’d say he had feelings for Merlin or if Merlin might just… be someone he’d be comfortable being fuck buddies with. 

“I really… should go to bed.”

Eggsy’s smile turned into a cheeky little grin. “Thought we wasn’t going to bed just yet.”

“You know that’s not what I mean.”

“Yeah, I know,” Eggsy said, his voice a bit more serious. “An’ it… well, I’d need to talk to Harry first, for _me_.”

Merlin’s lips quirked into something of an amused grin. “Planning on tellin’ him about this _before_ I’ve a chance to surprise him with it?”

Eggsy’s brow rose. “Oh? Didn’t know we was surprisin' him with it.”

“Well, his birthday’s at the end of the month.”

Eggsy laughed softly. “Guess I ain’t usin’ names when I talk to him, am I?”

He let go of Merlin and let him go upstairs. He’d wait a few minutes - give Merlin time to change and get into bed - before following him. He actually kinda liked the idea of fulfilling a fantasy for Harry for his birthday. It was something he could give his husband that… didn’t depend on Harry’s money; it was something he could give on his own. And if Merlin had told him that from the start, they wouldn’t have had to test each other out. Not that… he was planning on letting _Merlin_ know that. He’d enjoyed their little test session more than enough.

60

It was almost one in the afternoon when Harry came home. Eggsy knew it was Harry and not Merlin simply because he could just hear Harry and Dave talking. Daisy heard it, too, and she was up like a shot, running out into the foyer to slam into Harry’s legs and wrap her arms around them. Eggsy got out out the lounge just in time to see Harry lift her up and hold her over his head for a moment before letting her drop to his chest and hold her. He waited until Dave had left before making his way over to Harry and giving him a soft kiss.

“Welcome home,” Eggsy said.

“Hello, darling.”

Eggsy grinned mischievously. “Do you want a drink?”

“God, yes, and please, not whiskey.”

“Martini?”

“I realize it’s not quite five but…” Harry paused and then chuckled. “I’m still running on American time, apparently. A martini will be perfect.”

Eggsy laughed softly. “You want somethin’ else, that’s fine, Harry; ain’t gonna judge you.”

Harry arched his brow. He had very firm ideas of what alcohol was acceptable before five. Brandy, for instance, was _not_ acceptable before five; that was an evening drink. Martinis, however, were the perfect compliment to a light meal at noon (although the businessman’s ‘three martini lunch’ was pushing it a bit). Crossing that line was what led to being a drunk, which was absolutely different from what he was; he was _functional_ , thank you very much.

“What I want and what I find acceptable are two different things at the moment, darling.”

“Alright,” Eggsy said. “I’ll go make us martinis.”

He went up and made them both a martini. By the time he was back downstairs, Daisy was curled up in Harry’s lap and watching cartoons. He brought Harry’s drink over to him and leaned forward just enough to make it clear what he was doing. He gave Harry a wink when the older man took his martini.

“Thank you, darling.”

Eggsy sat beside him. He was glad Harry didn’t seem unhappy that he hadn’t called him ‘sir’ and hadn't given him the drink properly. He wouldn’t have minded serving the drink if Daisy had been on the floor coloring or playing or whatever and not _right there_ , but she _was_ right there.

They stayed there for hours, Eggsy refilling their martinis once. Harry had refused a third, and so Eggsy hadn’t gotten one for himself. Harry’s alcoholism was a known thing, if an unspoken thing, and Eggsy had no desire to try and push him deeper into it.

They put a movie on for Daisy, who was still cuddled up in Harry’s lap. She had the tip of her thumb just inside her mouth; enough for the comfort but not enough to go past her teeth. Eggsy had tried to teach her out of the habit entirely, but sometimes she still needed it. She’d missed Harry while he’d been gone and now she just wanted affection from him; something he was more than happy to give her.

Harry and Eggsy, meanwhile, had talked about Harry’s ‘work trip’. They made sure to use somewhat coded language so that it would sound like an actual work trip. They didn’t want Daisy picking up too much of what Harry actually did. They’d decided it should be something they tried to keep hidden until they could be sure she understood why it had to stay between them and wasn’t something she could talk about with friends.

“I know this is generally your purview, but do you mind if I take her up?”

Harry had noticed Daisy was nodding off and it was nearly her nap time. He’d missed putting her to bed at night. And even before Eggsy answered, he’d known his young husband would be fine with it.

“‘course,” Eggsy said. “Go on and take her.”

Harry picked her up and carried her up to bed. He tucked her in and told her a story (or maybe two) and then just sat with her after she fell asleep; just watching her and loving her. He hadn’t really considered children as a young man. And after he’d joined Kingsman, he’d put much of any thought of it out of his mind. It wasn’t exactly within the rule to have a child.

And that had been fine. He had two sisters; undoubtedly one of them would have children, and he could spoil them endlessly. Then he’d learned about Sophie, and she’d become an outlet for that. They talked often, usually by text, but he made certain to call her once a week and they got together several times a year.

But Daisy was different. Not just because she was his now, but because she was so young and living with him. He knew what she had, what she needed, and - more importantly - what she wanted. He could bring home a new coloring book, or a stuffy, or a movie, and he could _see_ her little face light up with delight. He’d be able to see so many of her firsts, even though he knew they wouldn’t all be good ones, and he’d be able to _be there_ for them, good or bad.

He kissed her forehead and went downstairs. He watched Eggsy from across the room for a moment and then joined him on the sofa. He took Eggsy’s hand, kissed it, and then watched him for a moment.

“There’s something I need to say.”

Eggsy half-started. Merlin must have… told Harry what happened. That was fine though; meant he didn’t have to. “Alright.”

“I know you didn’t mean to say that when I left. I don’t know if you said it out of habit at seeing someone off or because you do love me, and I don’t need to know,” he said. His voice was calm, serious, and he kept his eyes on Eggsy’s own. “I can only imagine what a frightening idea it must be, to have grown up with your step-father and have that as your real example of what a marriage is. The fact that you said that isn’t going to change anything. I’m not going to start hurting you or trying to break you down, and I will certainly never hurt Daisy to control you.”

“Harry…” Eggsy said softly.

“I love you, and I _never_ want to see you hurt. If you never feel safe enough to say it, if you never actually feel it, that’s perfectly fine. You loving me was never a condition of this.”

Eggsy kissed him, his arms going around Harry’s neck. How had he managed to make such a good man fall in love with him? How had he even deserved this? Every time he thought things were going to go in a bad way, there was Harry, reassuring him that it wouldn’t be like that; there was Harry taking care of him and his fears.

“I do love you,” he said softly, his lips still close enough to Harry’s own to brush against them as he spoke. “Have for a while now. Just… haven’t wanted to say nothin’.”

“Thank you for trusting me enough to say it,” Harry whispered.

Eggsy laid his head on Harry’s shoulder and sighed softly. “Now I feel like a fuckin’ arse.”

“Why?”

“I…” He sat up enough to look at Harry. “I wouldn’t fuck around on you.”

“I know that.”

“But while you was gone… there was… I…” He sighed and started again. “This bloke an’ I… we ended up touchin’ - like nothin’ below the waist - and then we kissed and the idea of sex was brought up. Didn’t happen! Just… was brought up.”

“Alright,” Harry said. “Are you asking my permission…?”

“I guess? Look, I don’t… I dunno what it is, you know? Is this a one time thing, are we gonna be fuck buddies, whatever. But… I do… kinda want to fuck him.”

He smiled. “I only have two conditions: one, before the two of you fuck, he gets a blood test and you get to see the results; two, I’d like to meet him at some point.”

“That’s it?”

“Yes, that’s it,” Harry said with a nod. “He _does_ know you’re married…?”

“Oh, yeah, he knows that. Knew that… before anything even… started.” 

Harry kissed him gently. “Then I see no problem.”

“What’d I even do to deserve you?”

“This _is_ what you deserve, darling. Every bit of it.”

61

“You’re not going to pick up Daisy?” Harry asked.

“Nope,” Eggsy said. “Jamal and Liam took her overnight.”

They’d been more than happy to when Eggsy had asked them, and that had been before he’d told them it was Harry’s birthday. He and Merlin had taken Harry out, and they’d had dinner. They’d taken him to a restaurant that Harry rarely ate at but loved; he rarely ate there because Merlin wasn’t crazy about it.

Eggsy put his arms around Harry’s neck and guided him back against the wall. “Thought we’d have us a proper birthday party for you.”

Harry snorted a laugh. “I hope you got a sheet cake then; it would be quite difficult to fit fifty-four candles on otherwise.”

“Oh, I wasn’t even thinkin’ ‘bout candles,” Eggsy said with a saucy little smirk. “But we can do that next year.”

“And what _were_ you thinking?”

“Oh… somethin’ private… somethin’ that means I get out of this suit and into… somethin’ I think you’ll like just as much.”

“Really?” Harry’s hands slid to Eggsy’s waist. “Shall I wait down here while you change?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Then-”

Merlin sighed irritably. “If yeh were planning on the bedroom, I’ll have to ask yeh to wait a bit. Just got a message from Kingsman. I need to take care of it.”

“Do you need me?”

Merlin shook his head. “No, Harry. You… just enjoy yourself.”

“I got time to change?”

Merlin nodded. “Yeah. It’ll take me a few minutes to get my laptop booted and into Kingsman’s systems.”

Eggsy gave Harry a kiss. “Be back in a minute.”

He followed Merlin upstairs and closed the door behind them. He started stripping, tossing everything in the hamper except for his suit. That he laid over his chest of drawers since Merlin was in the walk-in getting into the adult toy box. He got Merlin’s chair and moved it to the side of the bed, setting it so Harry would have a very good view of his show. And then he laid down on the bed, waiting for Merlin to tie him up.

Merlin brought a bunch of things over and set them on the foot of the bed. He attached cuffs to the arms and legs off the chair before going over to Eggsy. He’d never really noticed… okay, _yes_ , he’d noticed that Eggsy was attractive, but that was all it had been. Just… the simple awareness that his long time lover’s husband was hot. This was… a whole new dimension to that thought, because now Eggsy was laid out before him, a little grin on his face.

“How you wanna do me?”

 _Right here and now_ was the thought that came at the question. “Put your arms over yer head.”

Eggsy stretched out, putting his arms over his head so his wrists just barely came together. Merlin leaned down and looped a set of handcuffs through the headboard and closed them around Eggsy’s wrists.

“Too tight?”

“Nn-uh, they’re fine.”

Merlin nodded and then moved to the foot of the bed. He knelt and then guided Eggsy’s legs apart. He started at Eggsy’s abs (and _fuck_ if they weren’t rock fucking solid) and let his eyes trail down; down to the pubic hair that was a few shades darker than his hair; down to the younger man’s labia and the engorged clitoris.

This was the part Merlin had been… well, more than a little uncertain about. There had never been a question in his mind that he was gay. He’d never had feelings for a woman; never been attracted to one. And he’d been… so unsure of how he’d react, physically, to a transman.

He’d expected some sort of visual dissonance, but there wasn’t any. It took him a few moments to pinpoint exactly _why_ there wasn’t any. And then it hit him: Eggsy _smelled_ like an aroused man. Engorged clitoris for a cock or no, one extra hole or no, he still _smelled_ right.

“And you were worried about _me_ bein’ uncomfortable,” Eggsy teased.

“I’m not uncomfortable,” Merlin grumped. “This is just… a new experience for me.”

Eggsy grinned up at him. “You okay with it so far?”

“Yes,” Merlin said as he started putting cuffs on Eggsy’s ankles. “I’m going to stretch you before I go get Harry.”

“Makes sense,” Eggsy said with a nod. “Tho’ you ain’t gotta.”

Merlin’s brow rose. He’d put thigh cuffs on Eggsy and was locking the younger man’s ankles to his thighs. “No?”

“No,” he said. “I’m used to Harry and, unless you got a monster cock, I’ll be fine.”

Merlin eyed him for a moment. “That doesn’t hurt you at all?”

Eggsy shrugged. “Maybe I got a high pain tolerance? I dunno.”

Merlin nodded. “I’ll go get Harry then.”

62

It was only a minute or two before Harry appeared in the doorway. The curiosity in his eyes very quickly drained away and Eggsy was certain he saw them widen a bit. Harry was struck speechless for a moment, before a quiet “ _Oh_ ” escaped him.

“Get undressed and _sit_ ,” Merlin said from behind him. His voice was soft, but it was clearly a command.

A grin formed on Harry’s face and he started undressing. Before long he was nude and sitting in the chair, his eyes barely leaving Eggsy for a moment and his attention barely on Merlin putting the cuffs on him. He’d talked about this with Merlin, yes, but he hadn’t _imagined_ that it would become a reality. Especially not with-

“Darling?” he asked, his face suddenly serious. “You _are_ doing this because _you_ want to and not because I was fantasizing about it?”

“Yes, Harry. Promise.” Eggsy laughed softly and then winked at him. “Told you, Merlin and I sorta… felt things out when you were gone.”

Harry’s eyes widened slightly and he laughed. “I see. So you were talking about Merlin, hm?”

“Yeah,” Eggsy said. “We wanted to be sure I’d enjoy it.”

“Snogging for science?”

Eggsy laughed. “Somethin’ like that, yeah.”

“If yeh don’t shut up, Harry,” Merlin growled as he stood back up. “I’ll gag yeh.”

Harry chuckled and shifted in his bonds, checking to be certain he was securely fastened and that his bonds weren’t too tight. “Yes, Sir; sorry, Sir. Shutting up promptly.”

Merlin wrapped his hand in Harry’s hair and gave a sharp tug. “ _Behave_ , or you’ll _only_ be watching.”

Harry settled back in the seat, determined to be a Good and Proper Gentleman and not be the excitable thing he could be. It wasn’t something that he let people see very often, but this was one of those situations where that side came out regardless of his wishes.

Merlin went over to Eggsy; he _stalked_ toward the younger man. He could see Eggsy’s skin flushing, the way his lips were parted ever so slightly. He started undressing, his movements pointedly slow.

By the time he got on the bed, Eggsy’s cock was hard. He knelt between Eggsy’s legs and took him in hand. He started stroking, watching Eggsy’s face as the younger man writhed beneath him. He paid attention, not just to Eggsy’s reaction but to _how_ he was reacting. He’d nearly brought the younger man off by the time he’d figured out the pressure and speed that worked best.

Merlin bit back a groan as Eggsy came, the smell of the younger man’s arousal sharpening. _Fuck_. For the first time in his life, he wanted to stick in tongue inside a cunt. It wasn’t as if Eggsy were wet or dripping or anything else, but the _smell_ of him; Merlin wanted to taste that, and, after bringing Eggsy off a second time, he leaned down to do just that.

He kept working Eggsy’s cock with his hand, not just stroking, but fondling and caressing. He trailed his tongue along the younger man’s labia. He pressed his tongue inside and was only mildly aware that Eggsy didn’t react; the vast majority of his attention was on how the younger man tasted. He tasted like precum, and if he hadn’t been even mildly aware that Eggsy wasn’t reacting to it, he would have been _more_ than happy to eat him out. Maybe if this happened again and it wasn’t about fulfilling Harry’s fantasy…

He let go of Eggsy’s cock and took it into his mouth. It was a bit odd, having the entirety of a man’s cock inside just his mouth, but that didn’t make it a bad thing. It let him swirl his tongue around it with it fully inside of his mouth; it let him do a bit more with creating suction with his tongue; and it let him feel the entire cock twitching as Eggsy came.

He took his mouth off of Eggsy, giving the younger man’s cock a respite between orgasms. It gave him time to give attention to the younger man’s labia; licking and kissing and nibbling his way along it until he heard Eggsy’s breaths start to deepen. And then he was right back to the younger man’s cock.

He went until he felt his tongue starting to get sore (that had _never_ happened before… well, no, there’d been that _one_ time, but that had been quite a few more people). He worked some lube inside of Eggsy, taking care not to stretch the younger man too much, and then slid inside of him burying himself to the hilt.

He leaned over Eggsy and took in the sight of the young man’s face. Eggsy was flushed a deep red, his eyes half-lidded, and lips parted. The younger man was breathing heavily and Merlin barely thought about it before covering Eggsy’s mouth with his own. Merlin felt him arch up against his body. He’d planned on making it a quick, hard fucking. But now? Fuck, he wanted to be tender and gentle. 

It was a slow, drawn out thing, and Merlin left more than one bite mark on Eggsy’s neck. He kept a hand on Eggsy’s cock the entire time, making both of their pleasure slow things. Eggsy was whimpering with need long before it was over, and Merlin kept changing his speed and pressure _just_ to keep Eggsy from cumming. Sure, it was Harry’s fantasy - and part of it was one Eggsy’d had - but this was _his_ pleasure, and he was going to take it how _he_ wanted it.

He lay over Eggsy after he came, bringing the younger man to orgasm and then kissing his neck, his jaw, his lips. He wondered if this was something Eggsy would be willing to do again? It wasn’t something he’d bring up right away; Eggsy might feel… required?... expected?... _something_ and Merlin wanted Eggsy to _want_ to do this.

He let them both have a moment to cool down before he got up and went over to Harry. Eggsy wasn’t the _only_ one who was flushed and breathing hard. Merlin eyed Harry’s hard-on. He had a feeling Harry would be _very_ quick once he started fucking Eggsy.

“Eggsy?”

“Mmm?”

“How’re you feeling? Starting to get sore at all?”

“Mmm, bit, yeah.”

Merlin nodded and grabbed a handful of Harry’s hair. “You want to fuck him, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Yes, _what_?” Merlin said, giving his handful of hair a sharp tug.

“Yes, Sir.”

“Should I let you?”

“Well… given that this is my fantasy.” He grinned when Merlin gave another sharp tug. “Yes, Sir.”

Merlin knelt and took the cuffs off of Harry. He put his hands on Harry’s thighs and looked into his eyes, giving him a wicked little smirk. “Alright. You may fuck him. _But_ … you’re going to bring him off two more times _while fucking him_ before you may get off.”

Harry stared at him blandly for a moment. “You _do_ realize that’s setting me up to fail?”

Merlin tipped his head to the side slightly in a half-shrug. “Consider it a request more than an order.”

“Fair enough,” Harry said.

Merlin stood and let Harry get up before taking the seat for himself. He was possessive and he knew it. Not in the ‘if you even look at someone else, I will hurt you’ way; in the ‘this is mine and if you hurt it, I will end you’ way. And either because of that or because it was being done out of duty, he’d never enjoyed handling Harry during a honeypot mission.

But right now, as he watched Harry get on the bed and slip inside of Eggsy, he… found himself quite enjoying it. He was enjoying listening to his lover moan; the tired whimpers from Eggsy; watching Harry struggle to hold himself back and keep himself to a slower pace. At least, until Eggsy came with a sharply pained cry.

“Do you need to stop?” Harry asked.

Eggsy shook his head. “The bein’ pulled off, yes. The rest, no.”

Harry kissed his forehead. “I’ll be quick,” he said softly.

Merlin got up and quietly went down to the kitchen to get Eggsy and Harry water. He considered adding a small, easy-to-eat snack for Eggsy, but with how tired he sounded, Merlin doubted Eggsy would be up for eating. He made a little pack of ice and brought that up with the water.

When he got back to the bedroom, Harry had uncuffed Eggsy’s wrists and the two were laying side-by-side in each other’s arms. He set Harry’s water on the nightstand beside him and gave him Eggsy’s glass. Harry helped Eggsy sit up enough to drink and started softly coaxing him to drink all of it. Merlin, meanwhile, uncuffed Eggsy’s ankles and thighs. He rubbed Eggsy’s legs for a bit before settling in behind the younger man. He carefully made space between Eggsy and Harry, to bring the ice pack to Eggsy’s sore cock.

“Nn,” Eggsy whimpered, shaking his head.

“It’s just ice, Eggsy,” Merlin whispered to him. “Just ice. See? Feels nice, yeah?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“You were such a good boy,” Merlin whispered and then kissed his temple. He looked up at Harry. “ _You_ were a shit, as usual.”

“I’m offended,” Harry said in a scandalized tone.

“Shouldn’t be,” Eggsy teased.

Merlin helped Eggsy lay back so Harry could get his own water. Eggsy was half-way asleep by the time Harry lay back down against him. Merlin kept his arm around Eggsy, watching over the both of them until they were asleep and the ice was starting to leak through the pack. He got up, tossed the pack into the en suite sink, shut the lights off, and got back in behind Eggsy. He put his arm around the younger man and rested his hand on Harry’s thigh, and then drifted off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Friend: Why the extra 'e'?  
> Me: (It's because UK vs US, right?) /goes and looks this shit up/
> 
> Apparently, aside from general US & Ireland using 'whiskey' and Scotland and Canada using 'whisky', what it's made of determines the spelling. Scotch whisky (malted barley heated over a peat fire, and must be bottled in Scotland); Bourbon Whiskey (at least 51% corn mash, bottled in the US); Rye Whiskey (made from rye). And Irish whiskey (malted barley heated over a wood fire) [thank you for the last one, TeaAndTricks]


	11. Chapter 11

63

“Darling,” Harry said as he came into the lounge. “Could I ask a favor?”

He’d been up in his home office for the better part of a half-hour. He’d come back down with three, rather thick envelopes. He handed them over to Eggsy before taking a seat beside him. Each had a name on it and, after reading them, Eggsy realized who they were for.

“What’s this?”

“Christmas bonuses,” Harry said.

Eggsy looked at the envelopes again; he doubted they were just full of fivers, or even tenners. One was for the man who came by twice a week, picking up and dropping off the laundry; one was for the pest control guy, who Eggsy had only seen at the beginning of September; and Doris, the housekeeper.

She didn’t have much to do these days, not that Eggsy thought she’d ever _had_ much to do. He kept the house clean but Harry wasn’t about to let her go. She’d been working for him ever since he’d moved into the house; Harry felt it would be terribly rude to just dismiss her at this point.

“I’ll give ‘em out,” Eggsy said with a grin. “Lettin’ them know I’m a permanent fixture?”

Harry chuckled. “My dear, they’re already aware of that.”

“Very sexy of you, you know; giving out hefty bonuses.”

Merlin snorted a laugh. “It’s in keeping with the modern version of chivalry. Very appropriate for a Knight.”

“Thought that shit was just, like, opening doors?”

“There is that, yes,” Harry said. “That falls under ‘respecting and honoring women’; although that’s from the medieval code, not the modern. That does not, however, mean one should keep from respecting and honoring women.”

“The modern code is about being just, doing what’s right even if that’s not what the law demands; being loyal; defending your family, those you’re loyal to, and those who cannot defend themselves; being generous with your resources where and how you can be; having the courage to take the right path, no matter how difficult or the personal cost; and not being a braggart about it.”

“That last one is really quite simple to do in Kingsman,” Harry said with a slight grin. “No one is aware of what might have happened.”

“So you just… do it cos of Kingsman?”

“Of course not,” Harry said, sounding a touch scandalized. “We look for that in potential recruits. Someone who, say, were to get in between his family and step-father to protect them; keep his friends from trouble after stealing a car; someone who puts himself up as, essentially, a sacrifice to keep his child safe and housed. Such a person is quite chivalrous.”

Eggsy grinned and ducked his head. He’d never thought of himself that way before. He was just… doin’ what he had to. Knights was supposed to be, like, well, like _Harry_ ; rich, noble, all that shit, not people like him. But… hearin’ Harry put it that way… yeah, he could see it. 

“Thanks,” he said softly.

“Very sexy of you,” Merlin teased.

“And very punk.”

Eggsy snorted a laugh. “Ain’t got a huge, green mohawk or piercings.”

Harry stared at him for a moment. “I will have you know that I _never_ had either.”

Eggsy snickered at him. “Oh, yes, Harry. You’re very punk.”

“Yes, I am,” he said seriously. “Punk is counter-culture; it goes against social norms. It’s promoting equality, civil rights, animal rights, healthcare rights. It’s against gentrification, racism, sexism. It’s about freethought, not doing things just because of tradition, religion, the like.”

“His proposing your father was very punk of him.”

“Yes,” Harry said in a slightly irritated tone. “That was the turning point in my relationship to Chester. I suppose he assumed that, when I laid aside the eyeliner and leather jacket, I laid the mentality aside, as well. I suppose he failed to see that there is a lot of overlap between the code of chivalry and punk ideologies.”

“Eyeliner and leather jacket…?” Eggsy said, his eyes all but glittering.

Harry got up and went to the bookshelf. He got a photo album and brought it over. He flipped through it for a bit before finding the pictures he wanted and laid the open album across his and Eggsy’s laps.

Eggsy looked at the pictures of a much younger Harry. This was a Harry who’d spiked his hair out, who was wearing _more_ than a little eyeliner. He had a studded collar on and a leather jacket with different buttons and patches on it. Another showed him looking, well, pissed off and at some… protest?... or other. The next page…

“Oh,” he sighed softly.

The next page was a still leather-and-eyeliner wearing Harry… but he was with a woman with long blonde hair, wearing big, dark glasses.

“That’s, um… shit.” Eggsy hadn’t seen the woman since the wedding and, well, he’d been a cross between flying high and nervous as fuck. “...Sssophie?”

“Donna,” Harry said with a chuckle. “Sophie’s her daughter.”

“She your kid, then?” Eggsy teased.

“One-third of her,” Harry said with a grin.

“Sorry, _what_?”

“You remember Bill and Sam?”

“Yeah, Donna’s husband and that bloke you kept makin’ eyes at.”

Harry blanched. “Oh, good Lord, was I?”

“You _always_ make eyes at him, Harry,” Merlin said. “Harry has had a crush on Bill Anderson since-”

“Wait, like… top shelf Bill Anderson?”

“I love his novels,” Harry said quietly. “I’m sorry I was ‘making eyes’ at him.”

Eggsy shook his head. “If it’d bothered me, I’d-a said something.”

“I don’t believe you,” Harry said lightly.

Eggsy chuckled and shrugged. “I didn’t say _when_ I woulda said something.”

“Fair,” Harry conceded. “But, to the point, the three of us each had a romantic encounter with Donna just about the same time. We’re not certain _who_ fathered Sophie so… we share her.”

Eggsy stared at Harry for a moment. Sophie was a good ten years older than he was. And he was married to her maybe-father. He supposed it shouldn’t have surprised him that any child of Harry’s would be older than he was, but… this was the first time Harry had referred to her as maybe his. He’d just thought she was Sam’s daughter; he was only two-thirds wrong there though.

“Does it bother you? That I might have a daughter?”

Eggsy laughed and shook his head. “Don’t bother me, no. You was a fuckin’ Mata Hari. You probably have more’n one.”

“No, I can quite assure you that I have had no children as a result of my work with Kingsman,” Harry said quite primly. “I had a vasectomy shortly after joining Kingsman. It was a standard practice at the time.”

“Huh…”

Merlin looked over at him uncertainly. “You aren’t… concerned, are you? About a child, I mean?”

“No,” Eggsy said with a laugh. “Had all that shit out ages ago. Even if I hadn’t, I got Daise. She’s my world.”

64

Eggsy was dressed in one of his suits. He _felt_ posh in it. He knew Harry’d disagree with him on ‘clothes make the man’, but _fuck_ did they help. Especially going into one of these fancy fuckin’ restaurants alone. But he’d adopted Harry’s style of walking and mimicked Harry’s accent so he could sound all proper and shit.

“I have a reservation, under the name of Hart.”

The host looked over the listing. “Yes, sir. The other party hasn’t arrived yet. If you would follow me, please.”

He followed the host to the table and sat, taking the seat that faced away from the door. He knew it was from years of training, but Harry _hated_ sitting with his back to the door. A waiter was over in short order to take a drink order, and then he waited. 

He’d wanted to come late, just because of Harry’s general penchant for being behind, but he knew that wouldn’t work well in a place like this. They expected people to be on time for reservations. He read on his mobile while he waited. It had been nearly a half an hour when he heard someone approaching the table. He turned his head enough to verify that it was the host before standing.

“Here you are, sir,” the host said before leaving.

But Eggsy was _staring_ , because he had been expecting _Harry_.

“Merl- _Hamish_ ,” he said. “I didn’t think…” He motioned to the table. “Please.”

They sat and Eggsy could see, from the way Merlin was looking at him, that _he_ had been expecting Harry, too.

“Guess he double-booked.”

“Apparently so,” Merlin said. “I, uh, suppose we should call Harry and see who he meant to take out tonight?”

Eggsy was silent for a moment. He thought about suggesting that the three of them have a date. Not the both of them have a date with Harry; the _three_ of them. But… maybe that’s why Merlin wanted to check? Because he wasn’t interested like that?

“Yeah, sure,” he said. He took his mobile out and called Harry. “Hey. So… was you intendin’ on takin’ _me_ out or _Hamish_?”

“ _You, obviously, darling,_ ” he answered. “ _Why do you ask_?”

“Um, well, cos we both here.”

“ _Goodness, I’m terribly sorry. You know, I’m still not finished at work. Why don’t the two of you have dinner together? We’ll go out another night._ ”

“Yeah, that. Yeah, we’ll do that.”

“ _Do apologize to Merlin for me_.”

“Yeah, course. Bye,” he said and there was a beat. “Love you.”

“ _I love you, too,_ ” Harry said before disconnecting.

“He, uh, he’s still at work.”

Merlin’s brow rose slightly. “ _Is_ he.”

“Yeah, an’ he said he’s sorry about the whole double-booking thing, an’ wants us to have dinner since we’re here.”

“We may as well;” Merlin said. “There’s… no point in wasting the reservation.”

They made some light, somewhat awkward, small talk. Eggsy thought, more than once, that it felt like they were on a first date; like two friends who’d decided to see if that would work for them. Thinking like that did _not_ help him feel less awkward about it, however, and he was _relieved_ when the waiter came back.

Relieved, but then immediately confused when he set down a starter between them and gave each of them a drink.

“I’m sorry,” Eggsy said a little uncertainly. “We haven’t ordered yet.”

It was the waiter’s turn to look confused. “This… is the Hart table?”

“Yes.”

“Well… the kitchen has some very specific instructions,” he said, looking from Eggsy to Merlin. “Is that not… correct?”

“ _Oh_ , of course,” Merlin said with a laugh. “I’d forgotten completely about that. Our apologies.”

Eggsy waited until the waiter left and hissed at Merlin, “The fuck you mean?”

Merlin gave him a half-shrug. “I assume Harry had something set up for the two of you.”

Eggsy considered and then nodded slowly. “Yeah, he knows I don’t… really like ordering in these places. Always afraid I’m gonna pronounce shit wrong.”

“It is… a bit odd, however,” Merlin said thoughtfully. “Has Harry ever brought you here?”

“Uhhh…” Eggsy had to think for a minute. All these places still looked kinda the same to him. “Yeah, once. Why?”

“It’s my favorite. Harry and I,” Merlin chuckled. “Our first date was here. It was _horrible_. We were both trying too hard, neither of us was _really_ talking, and it nearly devolved into a fight.”

“Why’s that?”

“Well, I thought Harry was dating me to get under his mother’s skin. They got along for the most part, but she never really liked that he was bi,” Merlin said.

“She’d be horrified now,” Eggsy said with a laugh.

“Oh, that’s an _under_ statement,” Merlin said and then was quiet for a moment. “But that _is_ something that happens when one is young and you don’t… exactly feel as if you can say what you need to.”

“Good thing we ain’t like that, then,” Eggsy said, being exactly like that.

“Yes, a very good thing.”

Their conversation drifted from topic to topic, both men relaxing into their not-date. And then their salads came and Merlin noticed the first _really_ off thing.

“Is yours alright?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Dressing’s fine?”

He nodded. “Yeah. Harry knows what I like.” He grinned. “Guess you an’ Harry don’t see eye-to-eye on dressings.”

“Something like that,” he said.

Harry never sat with his back to the door if he could avoid it. By now, Merlin knew Eggsy must know that. He knew it, too, but with Eggsy arriving first, the younger man would have sat exactly where he is and gotten that salad. His own salad… was dressed how _he_ liked it, not Harry. And that would only make sense if Harry had _planned_ on him sitting exactly where he was.

Merlin’s suspicions were confirmed when the main course came. Harry had expertly selected an entrée that Eggsy would enjoy, and had gotten _him_ his favorite meal in the restaurant. By the time the dessert came - one dessert for the two of them - Merlin no longer had any doubt that they’d been set up on a date.

A date that, well, Eggsy didn’t seem to be looking at as one. That was fine, of course. He’d brought the idea up with Harry a few days prior. He didn’t… want to ask his lover’s husband out without his permission. And now that seemed like it had been a smart move. Harry had set up this ‘accidental’ double-booking, and now he didn’t have to make Eggsy feel awkward about refusing a date.

Merlin thought the rest of the evening went well enough. They lingered for a bit before asking for the cheque and then went home. They were just outside the door when Eggsy spoke up suddenly.

“This when I get a kiss?”

Merlin eyed him for a moment, trying to decide if Eggsy was teasing or not. “Do you _want_ one?”

He was on the verge of saying ‘yes’, but then he laughed. “Nah. I’m just teasin’ you, bruv.”

Eggsy didn’t give him a chance to answer and let himself inside. He gave Harry a kiss goodnight and went to bed. Merlin, meanwhile, waited in the entryway until Eggsy went upstairs and then went into the lounge.

“How was dinner?”

“I ought to thank you,” Merlin said, going in and sitting beside Harry. “You saved us having to deal with my asking him out and him feeling obligated.”

Harry frowned slightly. “What do you mean?”

“Eggsy isn’t interested,” Merlin said. “That’s fine, of course. We can be friends and occasional fuck buddies, if that’s what he wants.”

Harry found it strange but… well, perhaps he didn’t know his husband as well as he’d thought. He’d gotten the definite impression that Eggsy was interested in finding out what there was between them. Perhaps going out to dinner answered that for him. Or the threesome. He’d just have to find out using Super Spy skills.

65

Eggsy woke up slowly in the morning. He hadn’t heard Harry’s alarm go off, and he realized why quickly enough. He was still wrapped up in Harry’s arms; Harry’s pyjama covered arm around his bare chest. He snuggled back against Harry.

“Time is it?”

“Half past nine.”

“Why ain’t you at work?”

Harry chuckled softly. “I didn’t feel like it today.”

Eggsy hummed. “Any special reason?”

“Well, you ran upstairs so quickly last night… I was a bit concerned.”

“Oh, I…” he sighed softly.

“It was because of dinner, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah…”

Harry pressed a kiss to the back of his jaw. “I _am_ sorry, darling. I… well, I got the impression you might fancy Merlin. So I set the two of you up on a date. I never meant for it to upset you.”

“Guess it’s just as well you did.”

“I’m sorry.”

Eggsy rolled back enough to look at him. “Don’t be. I mean, better than my askin’ him out and makin’ him feel weird about it.”

Harry said nothing for a moment. “Then you _are_ interested in him?”

“Yeah, I mean. It.” He shrugged. “It was _very_ first date-like. You know, if two mates decided to shag and then went ‘oh, hey, maybe we like each other, too’. But once Merlin made sure it was just dinner, all that awkward went away.”

“I see.”

God love them both, but they were both a bit dim sometimes. He’d specifically sent them to the place he and Merlin had their first date; the one that was nearly ruined because of bad communication. That was specifically intended to make sure Merlin got the message to be very communicative with Eggsy. And somehow… they’d _still_ miscommunicated.

He knew he could press the issue with Eggsy, but that might go poorly. Or he could just tell Eggsy that they were having a failure to communicate. But that might _also_ go over poorly.

“Darling, would you do something for me?”

“‘course, Harry.”

“Would you talk to Merlin about this?”

Eggsy sighed and cuddled up against him again. “I think we said everything we needed to.”

“Did you make certain he doesn’t have some lingering concerns because of the threesome?”

Eggsy was quiet for a moment. “No, didn’t even think to.”

“Will you talk to him, then? For me?”

Eggsy squeezed his hand. “Is it… you know… important for you that he and I…?”

“No, darling, I simply want everything to be as well as it can be between the two of you.”

Eggsy was quiet for a moment. “Alright. I’ll talk to him about it.”

“Thank you, darling,” Harry whispered against his ear and then gently nibbled on it.

Eggsy rolled in his arms, wrapping his own around Harry’s neck. He had _every_ intention in the world of getting a proper morning fucking out of his husband… until he heard the door into the hallway bath close.

“Lil’ monster’s up.”

Harry nodded. “So it would seem.” He kissed Eggsy’s forehead and then his lips. “We’ll put a hold on this until tonight.”

Eggsy grinned. That was yet another thing Harry didn’t do that Dean had done to his mum. He’d given absolutely zero fucks about doing anything sexual if Daisy was in the room. But then… the man had ignored her every chance he’d gotten.

 _This_ is what his mum shoulda had; a knight in shining armor. Someone who put other people, their safety, their comfort ahead of his own wants and needs. He supposed she had it for a while with his dad, and he was glad he had it in Harry.

66

It was Friday evening; Eggsy had barely said two words to Merlin in the last couple days. He knew he should, and it helped that Harry hadn't said anything more about it. Not even when he took a glass of wine and Bill's latest book up for a bath.

Eggsy sat there for a bit, trying not to fidget. He'd had this entire speech set up in his head and now he just had to… say something. 

"I'm sorry if I've made yeh uncomfortable," Merlin said.

"H-what?”

Merlin sighed softly. “I… knew it was a date. Well, I put it together. Harry made sure I would.”

“Oh…?” Eggsy shook his head a little. “Why?”

“Well,” Merlin began. “I enjoy your company; I enjoyed fucking you. And Harry is aware that I was… curious… about more.”

Eggsy stared at him for a moment before asking the question he could have been asking himself. “So, why not say somethin’?”

Merlin sighed and was quiet for a moment. It was a reasonable question and he thought his reasons were accurate ones. Even _if_ Harry had not-so-subtly tried to remind him of how badly their first date had gone because they’d _both_ been communicating poorly.

“I didn’t want you to feel obligated,” he said at last. “You’d _expected_ to be pushed into a threesome. I didn’t want you to feel as if a relationship with myself was _also_ expected. So I tried feeling you out rather than asking you, and I realize now that all I succeeded in doing was making you-”

Eggsy burst out laughing. Once he started to taper off, he saw the _look_ his outburst had earned him and started laughing all over again. It took him a few minutes to taper off this time.

“Sorry,” he said. “That’s… I mean. I was doin’ the same thing. I thought about, well, sayin’ since Harry double-booked, we should just all have a date, together.”

Merlin’s brow rose. “Then you weren’t actually joking when you asked for a kiss last night.”

“Haaaalf?”

Merlin moved across the sofa to him and pulled him close. “Then you ought to get one.”

Eggsy grinned and slipped his arms around Merlin’s neck. “Yes, I should.”

Merlin laughed softly and then kissed him. It was soft, gentle; all the things a First Kiss ought to be, even if they’d kissed before. He looked into Eggsy’s eyes for a few moments after.

“So, after New Year’s, would you like to go out?”

Eggsy grinned. “Fuck, yeah. We can call it a do-over.”

67

The next night saw Harry and Eggsy sitting in a Kingsman car outside of a private establishment. Harry was dressed in a black suit, black tie, and with a red shirt under his jacket. Eggsy had on a pair of light jeans and one of his jackets; it was zipped all the way up.

“Darling? We can always go home.”

Eggsy shook his head. He was interested; a little excited. But the prospect before him was a little daunting. Harry had taken them to the local community’s Christmas party. He wasn’t… exactly sure what he’d be walking in to. Harry had told him that, yes, there were play spaces and he’d likely see nudity, but that there were also spaces where play either didn’t happen or there wasn’t nudity.

“No, ain’t that. I just… ain’t done this before.”

“Nothing will happen that you don’t want,” Harry reassured and then smiled. “And if anyone _does_ lay a hand on you without permission, I promise the body will never be found.”

Eggsy grinned at him. He was fairly certain Harry meant that threat. “Are there, well, rules for me or anything?”

Harry pressed a kiss to his forehead. “No, darling. Perhaps a future party, but not this one.”

Eggsy nodded. “Alright, let’s do this.”

Harry got out first and waited for Eggsy. He put a hand on the small of his back, half-way leading him to the door. He opened the door for Eggsy and let him go through first. The area was sort of cordoned off; anyone looking in from the outside would just see a dark divider behind a desk.

“You may leave your jacket up here,” Harry said as he paid their cover fee.

Eggsy unzipped his jacket and hung it with the others. He had his collar on under it, along with a black mesh muscle tank. The air was cool on his chest; cool, but not uncomfortable, and he went to join Harry. He found himself being handed a pen and a paper being slid to him. He picked it up and started reading it over.

“It’s just a standard liability waiver,” the woman at the desk said.

“Should always read what you sign,” he said. He felt Harry’s hand on the back of his neck, felt that hand squeeze a little, and then heard Harry murmur against his ear.

“Good boy.”

He finished reading it, signed it, and handed it and the pen back to the woman. “That it?”

“Do you want or need a bracelet?”

“Yes,” Harry said. “He’ll take a red one, please.”

Eggsy got his red bracelet and Harry put it on him. It was a simple, glow-in-the-dark bracelet. There was enough light to see the color of it, and that Harry was wearing one, as well. Harry took his hand and Eggsy let himself be led into the party.

“It means you’re not looking to play,” Harry explained. “If you decide you’d like to, by all means.”

Eggsy grinned. “Just protectin’ what’s yours?”

Harry gave him a wicked little smirk. “I’d hate to have to make good on my threat, that’s all. It’s so close to the holiday. It would be tragic if I missed it due to disposing of a body.”

Eggsy chuckled and leaned against him for a moment. He knew Harry would do it, too. Not because someone touched him, but if someone tried something he didn’t want. That… that made him feel safe; secure in a way it wouldn’t have been if someone else had said it. Because he knew Harry, and knew that Harry wouldn’t use that threat as a weapon, only as a shield.

He smiled softly to himself as he was led past a few vendors and a couple demonstrations and into the play area. He found himself sort of… staring without meaning to. There were a couple people doing flogging scenes; a couple people doing suspension; someone doing eclectic play; and, if what Eggsy could hear was any indication, someone was getting rightly fucked by someone or something elsewhere in the place.

As they passed one of the flogging scenes, Eggsy slowed, stopped, and ended up sort of gawking at the couple. He was fairly physically fit and doing the flogging. She was laid out on a flogging bench, hands bound at her head, and totally and completely naked. That wasn’t the part that surprised him, either.

“Huh,” Harry said, following his gaze. “She’s lost some weight.”

Eggsy looked from her, to Harry, and back again. “She’s gotta be… a good 26, 27 stone.”

“She was closer to thirty the last time I saw her,” Harry said with a nod. “Lovely woman. I’ll introduce you sometime, when she’s not otherwise occupied.”

Eggsy looked around a bit, looking for people staring at her; people who were clearly whispering about her; mocking her. But… he didn’t see any of that. Most people were just minding their own business, or their own scenes. The ones who _were_ looking seemed… more appreciative of what was going on in the scene than caring about her body.

And that… actually made him feel good. He was physically fit, but there was still some clear (at least to him) evidence that he’d been born a girl. And if no one gave a fuck about _her_ , no one oughtta give a fuck about _him_. Even knowing none of them mattered really, and that Harry would always see him as a man… having that sorta safety was, well, _nice_.

“If you’re up for it,” Harry began. “I thought I’d introduce you to some friends - including the gentleman I showed the picture to - and we can go from there.”

Eggsy grinned up at him. “Sounds good.”

He let Harry lead them, unsure what the party was going to end up bringing but excited for it nonetheless.


	12. Chapter 12

68

The alarm went off, and Eggsy was certain that it was ass'o clock. He groaned and rolled over against Merlin. Harry had wanted him to sleep in the middle last night, and now he understood why: because Harry was a fuckin' masochist who got up before dawn on fuckin' Christmas. 

He heard a soft chuckle beside him and felt a kiss on the back of his jaw. "Go'n back t'sleep," he slurred. 

The next he knew, Merlin’s alarm was going off. He opened his eyes long enough to see that it was just barely getting to be light out, grumbled, and pulled the blanket over his head. If _they_ wanted to be up before him, _they_ could make breakfast. _He_ was gonna finish his eight hours of sleep, thank you very much.

It felt like just a minute before he heard: “Eggsy.”

“Oh, my Gooood,” he groaned, opening his eyes enough to see that the light was on. There was light coming in through the window; enough that it had to be after 8:30. “Why?”

Merlin chuckled. “If Harry had it his way, you would have been up at seven.”

“It’s only-” he rolled enough to look at the clock. “-okay it’s nine. _And_ a fuckin’ holiday.”

His complaining was perfunctory; he’d been well aware that he’d be getting up this early. Harry had been stocking up on things for weeks, getting what he could while he was out or ordering it to be delivered if he couldn’t find it. And apparently that was his idea of a good time around Christmas; wandering from store to store, looking for ingredients for this or for that. Eggsy didn’t get the thrill of it, and Harry had just smiled vaguely when asked.

“There’s already breakfast. It’s on the table.”

“Mmkay.”

“I _will_ need you in about a half an hour, if you’d be up by then.”

“I’m up now,” he said, kicking the blanket off.

He got up and pulled on an undershirt without bothering to change out of his pyjama bottoms. He knew Merlin was putting him to work fairly quickly so he didn’t see the point. He saw Merlin move out of the corner of his eye and knew the other man was getting the bed made for him.

“Thanks,” he said as he left the room.

He went downstairs, immediately being assaulted by the smells of four hours of cooking. He closed his eyes with a groan, because it smelled so fuckin’ good. He wasn’t even sure what all Harry was making, but he had a feeling there was a big, traditional lunch and supper in his immediate future.

He went into the dining room and saw the almost light meal Harry’d made. He was _not_ complaining; between that and whatever Merlin needed him to do, he was bound to be _hungry_ come lunch.

“Good morning, darling,” he heard from the kitchen and the tone made him stop in his tracks.

Because that was _not_ Harry’s normal tone. _This_ was something _chipper_. He looked over at Harry, and the confusion did _not_ stop at the tone. Harry wasn’t in a suit, which wasn’t strange on its own; not given how much he was cooking. But he’d left his hair natural. More than that, he was smiling in an open and somewhat distant way. And, morning greeting given, Harry had started humming to himself. _Humming_.

Who was this man and what had he done with Harry?

“You… feelin’ alright?”

“Absolutely,” Harry said. “Eat before it gets cold.”

Eggsy sat and, with one final, confused look at Harry, started eating. He’d get Merlin alone, once they were done with everything, and ask _him_ what was up with Harry. He’d gotten that Harry liked Christmas, but what the fuck?

69

Getting Merlin alone took longer than he’d expected it to. He’d known they were decorating and moving furniture (although why Harry hadn’t wanted them to decorate _before_ the day of was lost on him), but he hadn’t realized how _much_ they were doing. Garlands, fairy lights, and a sprig of mistletoe in the lounge doorway had been a given. But then they’d moved on to the furniture.

They’d cleared off both the coffee table and the little table in the entryway, and then moved them both near the door. He helped Merlin move the two easy chairs farther away from the sofa and back some. They were still moving the second chair when there was a knock at the door.

“Go get it,” Merlin said. “I’ll finish this.”

“Okay,” Eggsy said and headed to the door.

He opened the door and saw a van - black and unmarked, although he had a suspicion it was Kingsman - and a pair of men. They set up a folding table in the entryway against the half-wall separating it from the dining room, and then brought in several chairs - padded with solid, curved backs - and some circular end tables. They took Harry’s two tables with them when they left.

Eggsy went back to the lounge and looked inside. There was now seating around the room with end tables in between every other seat. Eggsy shook his head a little. He’d asked Harry the week before why they didn’t just rent a hall or something and save the trouble of figuring out how they were fitting the Mortons, Carmichaels, Ramands, Bill, and his mates in the house. “ _I will_ not _have my husband’s first Christmas with me in anything other than our home_ ,” Harry had said before blithely settling on having a lunch _and_ a supper. Eggsy had thought it was kinda adorable, even if it wasn’t exactly necessary.

“Have you ever put a table skirt on?” Merlin asked, pulling him out of his thoughts.

“Try to avoid skirts, personally.”

Merlin rolled his eyes good-naturedly. “Get over here.”

They got the table covered and skirted, and then set two trays at one end. Next came wine glasses and champagne flutes. Just before the guests were slated to arrive, they would put out hors d'oeuvres, a bottle of red wine, one of white, and a bottle of champagne.

“I’m going to get Daisy dressed for this; _you_ , go and get ready.”

Eggsy gave Merlin a half-salute and went to do just that. He got showered - he was still able to Daisy’s delighted squeals over the water - and got out the garment bag Harry had told him was for today. Merlin had, privately, expressed sympathies for what was, undoubtedly, an ugly Christmas jumper. Merlin had, early on in their relationship, allowed Harry to buy one (1) Christmas jumper for him. It had been so hideous that he’d banned Harry from ever doing it again.

Eggsy had seen the picture of it, too, and he unzipped the garment bag with mounting trepidation. If it was _too_ bad, he was just gonna snag one of Merlin’s cardigans and call it a day. It might hurt Harry’s feelings, yeah, but… fuck, it was what amounted to Harry’s _family_ coming. He’d only met them _once_.

He looked in the garment bag… and smiled to himself. Harry had gotten him a pair of black trousers, a white button-down shirt, and a deep red button-down jumper. Either Harry’s taste had improved over the years (doubtful), his sense of humor had mellowed (also doubtful), Merlin’s ban had improved his jumper choosing (possible)... or Harry hadn’t wanted him to feel uncomfortable (likeliest).

He dressed and went downstairs. He saw Merlin’s brow arch at the outfit and he grinned and gave Merlin a wink. He went into the dining room and stayed _just_ outside of the kitchen; it was _Harry’s_ kitchen today.

“Whatcha think?”

Harry paused in what he was doing and looked at Eggsy. “You look wonderful.”

“Can I come in and get a kiss?”

“Of course.”

Eggsy stepped in and over to Harry. He looked at the food that was already out. _Fuck_ , it looked as good as it smelled. He gave Harry a quick kiss, snagged a deviled egg, and stepped out of the kitchen before Harry said a word. He grinned a took a bite of it.

“‘s good.”

“It had better be,” Harry said. “It’s my paternal grandmother’s recipe.”

“You don’t never talk about your family.”

Harry shrugged lightly. “There’s nothing to tell.”

There was a tone of finality to it. Eggsy wondered if Harry had been cut off for being with Merlin. If that was the case, then he’d already had control of what had undoubtedly been a trust fund. He didn’t know what else it could be, but then, he could count the number of things he knew about Harry’s family on one hand.

70

Eggsy went into the lounge. Merlin was in there, taking a rest before the next part of their day began. Daisy was in there, too, and Eggsy grinned at seeing her. She was in a red velvet dress with white fur trim. Harry had gotten her a set of white feathered wings and she was dancing around the room.

“Christmas angel, huh, babe?”

“Nuh-uh,” she said with a grin. “I’m a Chrimmas _Fairy_!”

“Like a Sugar Plum Fairy?”

“Nope! Just a Chrimmas Fairy!”

“And what’s a Christmas Fairy do?”

She giggled at him. “They make _fairy lights_!” she said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

He laughed, bent down to kiss her on the head, and settled on the sofa by Merlin. “So… he ain’t sayin’ nothin’...”

“But you want to know what’s going on.”

“Well,” Eggsy nodded. “Obviously. That man in the kitchen is _not_ my husband. There’s somethin’ important about Christmas to him. I just… I just wanna know what.”

Merlin chuckled softly. “You’re more right than you know.”

“How?” Eggsy laughed, a little nervously. “Harry’s got an overly cheerful twin brother?”

“He has a side that he keeps tightly under wrap,” Merlin said. “That side’s name is Henry ‘Harry’ Bright.”

“Harry _Bright_? The fuck kinda name is _that_?”

“His real name,” Merlin said. “You’re too young to know about the Brights, aren’t you?”

Eggsy nodded slowly. “Yeah…? I mean… I guess I am?”

“The Brights were a… well-known family, if yeh were in the right circles, and shunned in the wrong ones.”

Eggsy sat up a bit. “Wait, why?”

“Because Prince George had a bastard daughter named Adelia that he didn’t bother hiding. It was to the point that he and his brother came to an agreement that she and whatever children she had would be included in the line of succession _if_ he stopped being so public about her,” Merlin said and then chuckled; it was an almost dark sound. “I suppose if they’d realized Adelia would only be four when her father died, her uncle would have left things be.”

Eggsy sat back a little. “And that, um, has what to do with Harry?”

“Adelia married a nice young nobleman named Henry Bright. Harry is their son, eldest of three children,” Merlin said and then was quiet for a moment. “I think Harry was somewhere in the high eighties in the line of succession.”

“Wait, wait, _wait_ , _wait_ ,” Eggsy said, each repetition faster and slightly higher pitched than the one before it. “Are you telling me… I married a _literal_ prince?”

“Well, Prince George was a Duke, so…” Merlin gave him a half-shrug. “Not quite.”

“Why the _fuck_ did no one tell me this?!”

“For the same reason Harry is Harry Hart and not Harry Bright,” Merlin began. “A few years into his time as Galahad, there was a mission that came up which… needed someone who could navigate _that_ level of high society without it being obvious that, while nobility, they weren’t close enough to royalty to have to deal with _those_ functions. Everything was fine until our target made him as a spy.”

“How?”

Merlin shook his head. That was a question that had bothered him since the early ‘90s. _How_ had Harry been made? Harry Bright attending one of these functions wasn’t a strange thing, especially when it was a group that liked to ignore the existence of Adelia Bright and her family. He had his theories, of course; he’d had plenty of time to form them. But that was all he had.

“Harry wasn’t even out of the building before Arthur had agents heading to the Bright home. They got his parents, sisters, and the servants out of the house. Several agents remained there, in anticipation of some attack from the target.”

“What happened?”

“The manor exploded. Officially it was marked as an accident - something gone wrong with the gas pipes, a spark at the wrong time - and the bodies were just written off as the Brights; the case was shut.”

Eggsy shook his head. “No, no, you don’t just…”

“Yeah,” Merlin said, and there was something so _bitter_ in that single word. “I kept looking into it, at least until my opposite in MI6 contacted me and told me to stop looking into it.”

Eggsy just stared at him.

“I was going to keep going, Military Intelligence be damned. But then M contacted Arthur, and _he_ shut me down.”

Eggsy had… no idea what to say to any of that. Not the idea that someone could, well, _assassinate_ a family and MI6 lockdown any investigation; not the casual use of ‘M’, implying that at least _something_ in the James Bond movies was real; not the idea that Harry was the grandson of a Prince.

“So… um… Harry’s family?” was all he managed.

“Officially, Adelia, Henry, and their three children died that night. Kingsman shuffled around their assets and bank accounts, and essentially laundered the money back to them. We relocated them, only Arthur and I knew where. Harry hasn’t seen them since,” Merlin said. “Harry Bright, who’d been… softer, more joyful, full of life… became a much more somber, harder man. It’s why he doesn’t go out without straightening his hair, why he doesn’t like to sit with his back to the door, and why you’ll almost never hear him mention family.”

“Why’d he go with Hart?”

Merlin sighed softly. “Harry… Harry didn’t want to risk exposing his family to whatever threat he’d walked into, so he stayed. He needed a new identity, someone unknown enough that Harry could take over his identity. Someone who could effectively disappear and there wouldn’t be anyone who could really argue that this man wasn’t who he claimed to be.”

“Someone… who could become an Unperson,” Eggsy said softly.

Merlin nodded. “And so Hamish Hart ceased to exist, and Harry Hart was born.”

“Guess I’m actually married to you, too, then,” Eggsy said and then just sat there for a few moments. It was… a _lot_ to process. “I guess… this all happened around Christmas then?”

Merlin shook his head. “Christmas was… _the_ Bright family thing. The servants all had the week before and after off. A number of them - and not just the live-ins - stayed and enjoyed just being family for a while. The Brights did all of the cooking and it was a big family affair. I only went to one of their Christmases and, despite the fact that Harry’s mother wasn’t too happy about her son having a boyfriend, I was welcomed as family for it, although I _do_ believe some of that was Mr. Bright’s doing.”

“So… this is Harry’s way of still being with his family?”

Merlin nodded. “And it’s why getting him to do this somewhere _other_ than his home was just… not something he was willing to entertain.”

“He gonna be mad that I know?”

“Eh, he might be a bit miffed at me for telling you, but…” Merlin shrugged. “I think he’d be more surprised if I _didn’t_ tell you.”

Eggsy sat back against the sofa and let his head tip back. It hurt enough that his mum was gone, but… to know your family was alive but you could never see them again? How’d you even _deal_ with that? _With a lot of repression, heavy drinking, and throwing yourself into your work_ , he thought with an inward sigh.

Maybe he’d try and talk to Harry about it later. But he wasn’t going to let this new knowledge affect him today. Not when this was Harry’s one time of the year to mentally connect to his family and what he’d had before all of that went to shit on him.

71

There was less than a half-hour before the lunch group was slated to arrive. Harry finally decided to leave the kitchen for a few minutes; long enough to go upstairs and change. He came down in a pair of trousers that were a _horrid_ shade of green and a jumper that looked, well, kinda like wrapping paper. It was alternating strips of green and red. The red had white zigzags while the green changed designs in a pattern; white snowflakes, then white diamonds made up of dots, then white trees and deer.

“That… is hideous,” Eggsy said.

Harry grinned. “That was, of course, the plan.”

Eggsy put his arms around Harry’s neck. “Thanks for not including me in the plan.”

Harry slid his arms around Eggsy’s waist, letting them rest on the small of his back. “Never, darling. Unless you’d like to, of course.”

“Unless I’d _like_ to?”

“Well,” Harry said, tipping his head slightly in a half-shrug. “Apparently not everyone appreciates wearing ugly Christmas jumpers. Merlin certainly doesn’t, at any rate.”

Eggsy laughed. “ _That’s_ why you got him one?”

“It… it was something we did in my family. We sort of went out of our way to find the most hideous ones we could.”

“You know…” Eggsy ventured. “If Merlin knew that, I’m… sure he’d wear them.”

Harry was quiet for a moment. “Told you, did he?”

Eggsy nodded. “Yeah…”

“Well, Merlin _does_ know and he knows I’d rather he didn’t do something he was not comfortable with just for me,.” Harry said and then kissed his forehead. “And I don’t want _you_ doing it for that reason either. As it stands, I wouldn’t have asked you to this first year. I want to show you off. I want them to see how the nervous young man I married is thriving and happy.” He paused, grinned, and said, “Well, Donna and the others anyway. Not that I would expect them to think anything else.”

Eggsy laughed softly. “I get it. It’s important to you for your family to see that you’re not mistreating the man who put himself entirely in your hands. Even if there ain’t no reason for them to think you might.”

“That… that sums it up, yes.”

Eggsy pushed up on his toes and kissed Harry so softly and gently. “They’re gonna see… someone who loves you, who couldn’t be happier with his life is now.”

Harry just watched him for a moment; watching the light in his young husband’s eyes. He’d never thought it would turn out this way. “I have something for you,” he said and stepped away from Eggsy. He took a long, slim box from where he’d hidden it in the branches of the tree and handed it to him.

Eggsy took it and grinned. He unwrapped it and saw that it was a jewelry box. “Jewelry for Christmas, huh?”

“A man is allowed to buy his husband jewelry, thank you.”

Eggsy laughed and opened the box, and then sighed softly. It was a men’s chain, and gold. It wasn’t far off from the sort he’d owned before V-Day, but… but every other link was encrusted with diamonds.

“Harry,” he said softly. “You didn’t have to… I woulda been fine with just gold.”

Harry picked it up from the box and stepped around Eggsy. “I know, darling,” he said as he clasped it around Eggsy’s neck. “If you don’t like it…”

“No, I love it.”

He pressed a kiss to Eggsy’s temple. “And _I_ love spoiling you.”

Eggsy turned around to face him again. He put his hands on Harry’s arms, and then noticed movement on the other side of the room. He looked over and saw Merlin in the doorway. He grinned and nodded toward Harry.

“You can come get in on it.”

Merlin came over and Eggsy watched while he and Harry shared a soft but lingering kiss. Eggsy wondered what it would be like to share a kiss with the both of them; to have his lips pressed to Harry’s, to feel Merlin’s hand on his cheek and turn his head; to feel Harry press in between them, to feel Harry’s tongue brush his lips as he took Merlin back.

Merlin pulled Eggsy out of his thoughts with a kiss. Eggsy wrapped an arm around Merlin’s neck, holding himself as tightly to the Scot as he was to his own husband. If they didn’t have guests coming, he woulda suggested the three of them go upstairs for a bit. But… that could always wait until tonight, assuming they all weren’t worn out from the full day they had ahead.


End file.
